Elemental Affections
by ArissaMay
Summary: This is a collection of Sheelos oneshots, ten of them, one for each Summon Spirit. Watch as Sheena and Zelos talk, hate, battle, fight, and maybe even love...
1. Chapter 1

Elemental Affection

_(I know I said my next fic would be Kraine, and it will. My next LONG fic. This one is one I've been thinking on for a while, and I can't bring myself to resist ficcing until my Kraine fic is ready to type, so... I present to you Elemental Affection. Though this will be ten chapters long, it will just be a series of one-shots, and none of the one-shots connect or relate in any sense aside from the fact that they're all Sheelos. In some, the two may be head-over-heels for each other, while in others they may wish the other would just keel over and die. There's no order or anything to my fics, but I'll give a little info in the note before each one. There will be one chapter for each Summon Spirit, including Verius, excluding Maxwell, though the Summon Spirit itself will likely not be in it. Just the general element they control. So... yeah. If I confused you, just tell me, and I'll make it clearer. On to the first one, 'Water')_

Chapter 1:Water

_(This one is a scene that was deleted from Retribution, because it destroyed the peace that I wanted for that chapter. I still like it though, so I'm using it here. For those who haven't read Retribution, I'll sum it up here. Sheena's village was destroyed, and Zelos decided to tag along on her journey to get revenge. Previous to this scene, he'd just showed up and saved her from being a horde of dragons' evening meal. So... This is the following morning.)_

When the ninja rose to her feet, her robe stuck firm to her back, reminding her of the dried blood which now clung to her skin. Unable to stand the sticky feeling much longer, she turned and wordlessly set off toward the nearest pond.

Zelos, having noticed she was awake as she rose to her feet, watched the retreating ninja with curiosity and concern. '_She doesn't seem too happy...'_ He observed, his enhanced angel eyesight allowing his gaze to follow her 'till she disappeared into the trees. '_She's probably just in shock at sleeping so close to one so dead sexy as I.'_ He turned back to his Omelet, hurrying to flip it before it burned, and dismissing all thought on the matter of Sheena… Or did he? After a while, the redhead noticed a nagging at the back of his head. It was his smart, sensible conscience, the one he usually made a point to ignore, and it was sending him after the ninja. '_Sheena isn't okay, is she?'_ At this realization, the nagging eased up, and he sighed. '_I suppose I need to be the Valiant Hero of Sexiness once more.' _So much for breakfast.

Taking the Omelet off the fire, he set it on the grass by his side, hoping it would still be warm when he returned. Not likely. The Chosen rose to his feet, stretching his arms up and out before setting off after the ninja. '_This had better be worth wasting a perfectly good omelet...' _He grumbled inwardly as he closed the distance between camp and the forest.

Upon entering the forest and wandering in her general direction for a while, the Chosen realized how hopelessly and utterly lost he was. On the way out of the forest the previous night, he'd just followed Sheena's lead, but now that he was in the forest alone he had no clue where she had gone or even how to get back to camp. Fighting his way through the low-hanging branches, the briars, and the many weakling monsters that wanted him even more than his hunnies did, Zelos began to regret his decision. '_None of my _other _hunnies would have made me crawl through the worst section of the forest to come find them... Of course, none of my other hunnies seem to know any words other than ZELOS! and MARRY ME!... Not that that's a bad thing, of course. I'm just too sexy for my own good.' _After a while of wandering aimlessly, the redhead at last spotted a clue as to the ninja's location. Namely the entirety of Sheena's outfit, sprawled across a boulder.

'_If her clothes are here, and Sheena isn't, that means Sheena must be...'_ It was simple math for the Chosen to realize that his favorite hunny was somewhere nearby… and naked to boot. A faint splashing sound could be heard from the far side of said boulder. Curious as to the source of the splashing, the redhead peered cautiously over the boulder... And came face to face with a certain ninja. Sheena's hazel eyes went wide, and she immediately ducked up to her neck under the water, her arms crossed to shield her exposed chest. She lunged for a towel and, after hastily wrapping herself in it, she turned on Zelos, her eyes narrowed with rage.

"You-… you-… you PERVERT!" She screamed, and Zelos flinched at the power in her words. For once, he couldn't think of anything to say.

"I- I was just coming to look for you-" He started, stepping backward, but she cut him off before he could explain.

"You idiotic disgusting lecherous PERVERT! I _bet_ you were 'just coming to look for me', to try and peep on me like you always do!" She fumed, though even Zelos could see that she was fighting back tears of embarrassment at being so exposed.

"I wanted to see if you were okay. Now I can tell that you're perfectly fine, so I'll be leaving now." Zelos stated icily, before turning and attempting to march dramatically back into the woods. One problem. "Err… Sheena? I'm kinda lost." His voice had lost all of it's former chill. The ninja made no reply for quite a while… Then, at last, she sighed in defeat.

"I'm getting dressed now… I swear, if you even TRY and look at me, I'll-…" Sheena couldn't think of a fate fitting of such a crime, so she left the ending to his imagination. And imagine he did, recalling in his mind how ninjas were known for their unique and twisted form of tortures. Too fearful of the ninja's wrath to make any other motions, the Chosen nodded hastily, showing he understood. He turned to face the opposite direction, his muscles tensed in an effort not to peek as he heard her slide hesitantly from her towel and into her ninja robe. '_If I _do _peek, I'll probably be dead before my eyes reach her.'_ He thought with a shudder, none too fond of the 'get killed by the only female who has disgraced him in battle' idea.

"I don't know why I didn't just let you get lost and die out here, you pervert." Sheena growled, an unspoken signal that he could turn around. When he did, she was just finishing putting her hair back up into a bun, arranging it so it wouldn't come out in the midst of battle.

"Your words wound me, dear Sheena. But at least it wasn't someone like Regal who peeked on you." Zelos stated, trying to look on the bright side.

"And how are you any better than Regal?" Sheena shot back, an eyebrow raised skeptically.

"Well first of all, I'm dead sexy. You can't deny it. And second of all, he's _old_. He's like eighty or something."

"I'm sure Regal appreciates the kind sentiments, Zelos." Sheena replied, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"What kind sentiments? Oh yeah, I forgot that you ninja people worship your old people." Obviously sarcasm was lost on the Chosen. Sheena snorted indignantly at his last comment, however.

"In case you have forgotten, 'we ninja people' are one ninja from extinct. Besides, we didn't _worship_ our elders, just respected their wisdom and the life they led." She replied crossly, adjusting her robe to lie flat as it should.

"Sheena? Lighten up. That's my advice to you. Lighten up. You take everything too seriously, never taking the chance to just enjoy life." Zelos offered, sitting down to lean against the boulder where her clothes had previously been strewn. This caused the ninja to snort once more.

"I have to be serious, to make up for _you._ You take everything TOO lightly, and you don't seem to care about anything at all, like everything's just a game to you!" She ranted.

Zelos could think of no reply. He knew anything he said would be used against him, so after a moment's thought, he no longer even tried. Instead, he rose silently to his feet, moving around the boulder to the pond. Sheena observed him suspiciously. What was the idiot up to _now_? She watched as he crouched by the edge of the pond, testing the temperature with his finger.

"Think fast!" He cried, though she knew not what he meant. Not yet, at least. Then, before she could blink, the equivalent of a bucketful of water was sailing her way, thoroughly soaking her face and upper robe. When she opened her eyes, blinking in surprise, she found that the redhead still on the ground, but now he was on his back, laughter racking his frame. The ninja felt anger rising once more. That idiot!

"What the hell was that!" She demanded to the Chosen, who was currently attempting to choke back his laughter.

"You didn't move." Was all he could manage before gasping for air and falling into a new fit of hilarity. His delight was contagious, and Sheena at last let her anger fade, falling into a smirk of amusement. '_Fine, laugh, you idiot. You just wait and see…'_ She stepped closer so she stood just before the Chosen. And with one quick swing of her foot, the redhead found himself sailing from the bank and into the pond. When he surfaced once more, and rose to his feet, the look of utter bewilderment on his face brought forth Sheena's own laughter. At his look of confusion, the ninja obliged with an explanation.

"Neither did you." She stated, smirking through her amusement and sniggers. After a moment of wondering how he was suddenly waist-deep in water, the Chosen suddenly burst into laughter once more. And so, with the help of a little water, Zelos gave Sheena her first taste of the pointless joy that fueled his life. Or he just weaseled his way out of a smack. Either way, the results were for the better. Though next time, the redhead intended to avoid lying right on the bank of a pond.

_(How was it? They'll mostly be short like this. So... yeah. This one was a little awkward to write 'cause it was a scene I had already made but had no other use for, so I had to edit it to make it work or else it would have gone to waste. So... yeah. Read and Review!)_


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Wind

_(This is something I thought up at whim. I hope it turns out good...)_

All was still and serene. It was a cool spring day, yet not too cool. In all respects, the day was perfect. A soft breeze blew, causing the ninja's raven bangs to sway slightly, yet that was the only movement she made. Her hazel eyes were hidden behind creamy eyelids as she rested on her back among the emerald grasses of the field just outside Meltokio. Most days, she would be alert and on the lookout for thieves or monsters, but not this day. This day was too perfect, and she somehow knew that no harm would come to her. The traffic into and out of the city was a constant rumble on the dirt road, traders and tourists alike, yet that faint, distant rumbling didn't bother Sheena. For in her world, all was well. At least, for a while.

Though her lids were shut against the world, a sign of her relaxation, she could still clearly see the blue sky in her minds eye, complete with puffy white clouds floating carelessly across the sky. The summoner envied those clouds, and how effortlessly they floated across the clear blue. She had always loved heights and the thrill they gave her, so to be able to float like the clouds and fly like the birds had always been her fancy. She'd watched Colette soar with a pang of jealousy, for, though she knew how rough the blonde's life was at the moment, she wished she could take her place, just for the sole purpose of flight. Sheena would give near anything to be able to fly, even if only for a few minutes.

The young woman heard it clearly as a figure came and laid down beside her, her ninja senses made sure of that, yet her eyes remained closed. In fact, at first she didn't even acknowledge the other's presence. After a moment though, her soft voice broke the silence.

"Hello, Zelos." She softly greeted, and she sensed his surprise the moment she spoke.

"How'd you know it was me?" He questioned in surprise. The ninja smiled softly, yet her eyes still remained closed.

"Who else would come sit by me?" She replied, though her question was rhetorical. Obviously, Zelos didn't see it as such.

"Well… uh… maybe… Okay, you're right. So, whatcha doing out here all alone?" Even the loudmouthed Chosen had softened his voice, the serenity of the scene having gotten to him.

"Relaxing, or trying too. And thinking." Sheena murmured in response.

"Thinking? About what?"

"Oh, everything. Yet at the same time, nothing really." There came no response from the redhead. Obviously her riddled tongue had confused him. She smiled slightly, but after a moment that smile faded. There was a silence between them, yet not an awkward one, nor was it lengthy. At last the summoner's hazel eyes slid open, and she turned her head to look at the Chosen, who was laying surprisingly close beside her. Their shoulders were a mere six inches apart. Yet, whether she had grown accustomed to his presence or it was just too peaceful a scene to end up in a fight, she did not speak of his close proximity, or even feel truly alarmed by it. Instead, her question was one of serious curiosity.

"Zelos, have you ever wondered how it feels to fly?" She inquired, though after a moment she remembered that he too had a pair of wings, fiery orange ones that were so fine a pair of wings that she was surprised she'd forgotten them for even a moment. The ninja softly shook her head in withdrawal of her question. "No, of course you haven't, how stupid of me. I forgot for a moment that you had wings as well." Zelos nodded slightly, dismissing her forgetfulness like it didn't matter. After a moment, Sheena decided that, in truth, it really didn't matter at all.

"It's amazing, Sheena. When I fly, I feel so _free_, like nothing could bring me down. Like I'm in my own little world, and even if I were to die the next day, it wouldn't truly matter anyways… Am I making any sense?"

"Perfect sense." She reassured, though her voice was filled with longing. He turned his head to face her then, his eyes alight with realization.

"I have an idea." He announced softly, rising to his feet and offering her a hand. She took it, accepting his aid, and he helped her rise as well. "Now turn around and close your eyes."

"This had better not hurt. And if you touch me, you'll regret it." She threatened, yet her warning was half-hearted, and she immediately obliged to his request, turning her back on the Chosen and closing her eyes once more. She heard him mumbling slightly under his breath, though his words were so soft and so hastily spoken that she couldn't make any sense of the mumblings. After a few moments more, the mumbling ceased, and his voice rang out once more.

"Alright, now fall back." He urged, and her eyes snapped open in surprise.

"Zelos, what the hell are you-"

"Trust me." And whatever doubt had held Sheena before melted away with those two words, so sincere and honest a phrase rarely spoken by the redhead. She closed her eyes once more, and slowly she leaned back, falling slowly to the ground. She continued to let herself fall, even past the level at which she could catch herself if he was bluffing. For she trusted him. For some idiot reason, she trusted him. Mere inches from the ground, she felt something catch her. Yet it was not a pair of hands that caught her. No, it felt more like a soft, supple pillow. The ninja relaxed into it's embrace, feeling as light as a feather. After a few moments, she heard his voice come once more.

"Open your eyes." His voice seemed… off. Echoic, like it came from below. She opened her eyes, looking to her left at Zelos. Yet Zelos wasn't there. He was ten feet below her, grinning madly. She cried out slightly in shock, flailing around a moment, and in that moment she felt herself start to fall, then lose her height altogether. She fell the few feet to the ground below, and into the waiting arms of the Chosen. He put her down, keeping a hand on her shoulder to steady her as she regained her balance.

"Was I-…?" She started, and the Chosen nodded excitedly. "How?"

"I don't know, exactly. It had something to do with Air Thrust and Healing Wind, 'cause I kinda mixed those two spells to do it… I wasn't sure it would work, but I hoped it would 'cause if it didn't you'd probably beat my face in." Strangely, Sheena was okay with the fact that she'd just been used as a guinea pig for his little spell experiment. It had been amazing, floating like she had, even though it wasn't truly flight.

"Can you… do it again?" She asked tentatively. He furrowed his brow in thought.

"Err, actually, I don't remember what I said to get it to work. But I can do better. Hold that pose, my voluptuous hunny." With that he stepped back, hastily murmuring yet another spell. "Angel Feathers!"

Sheena's eyes widened, and she raised her arms to deflect the blow that those words would deal. Yet no blow came. She waited a moment in confusion before slowly lowering her arms. Zelos was before her, his wings flapping gently in the breeze. As were her own. Her eyes widened slightly as she spotted a pair of soft violet and lavender wings extending from her own back. She gazed with rounded eyes at the seraphim before her.

"They're only temporary. A half hour at max. Sorry, that's as good as I could do, since your flight draws off my power like mine does." He shrugged helplessly, yet she was too dumbstruck to think of anything but what that half hour could hold.

"Then what are we sitting around here for!" She cried as she leaped into the air, her wings catching her mid-leap and carrying her higher and higher still. The wind at this higher altitude was much stronger, forcefully pushing her bangs back from her face, yet it was more of a help than a nuisance. It wasn't long before Zelos pulled up beside her, his wings making half as many strokes yet carrying him twice as fast.

"Practice." He shrugged, noticing her slightly rounded eyes. She nodded. Of course he'd be better at this. He was an _angel_, after all. Sheena snickered slightly to herself. She'd never met an angel who was less angelic than Zelos. Most of the time, at least.

After a short while, the newly-winged ninja got tired of flying up and up. Time to go down. Time to dive. With no warning whatsoever, she tucked her wings into her sides and plunged into a dive, gaining speed at a startling rate as she headed toward the emerald grasses once more. Zelos called after her in alarm, diving after her, yet his dive was a joke compared to hers, for his wings were still fully extended and fighting the downward motion. After a while he gave up on his dive, pulling up and watching her fall to her death. Wait, would she die? Surely she would. That sort of fall is impossible to endure, unless you're an angel, and Sheena wasn't even close to pure angel.

The ninja heard his cry of alarm and for a moment she was confused. What was wrong?…. Oooooh, did he think she was truly falling? Oops. She spread her wings to catch the air once more, just to prove she was fine… Wait, but something truly _was_ wrong. With all the wind resistance pushing her wings to her sides, Sheena found herself unable to spread her wings to catch herself. Now she too was getting worried, for the ground loomed ever-closer and her landing would surely kill her.

Suddenly, an orange and pink blur sped by her, downward through the sky at a rate near twice as fast as her own. Zelos had realized that she truly _couldn't_ catch herself, and he wasn't about to let his love interest die. Besides, it'd be his fault anyways, for giving her wings to begin with. He couldn't deal with that burden to his conscience, not for as long as it would linger. When he hit the ground, a crack came soon to follow, as well as a near blinding pain from the arm he landed on. Broken. But broken limbs can heal, and broken Sheenas cannot. With this thought he leapt to his feet, positioning himself just under the plummeting ninja. And he wasn't a moment too soon, for within two seconds time the ninja had fallen into his good arm with a force to send them both rolling across the grass. Zelos rose to his feet, and for a moment his only thought was the pain in his arm, which had only intensified with all the rolling about. He heard Sheena rise shakily behind him, brushing herself off from the landing. And he knew she'd be mad. Really mad. Mad for nearly getting her killed.

"Zelos." Her voice broke the quiet, and he knew that the moment he turned around he'd be slapped or beaten upside the head with her evil shocky card. But he turned around anyways, eyes closed, bracing himself. Yet no slap came. Instead came something much less painful.

"Thank you!" The ninja threw her arms around the Chosen, hugging him tightly in gratitude. His eyes snapped open and widened in shock.

"Uh… you're welcome, I guess. Not to question my good fortune, but what exactly am I being thanked for?"

"Zelos, I _flew_." Zelos decided not to mention that she nearly fell to her doom along with it. "How could I ever thank you for this?"

"A kiss would do nicely." He replied without skipping a beat, despite the fact that the pain from his arm was near blinding as he cradled it to his chest.

"Oh really? Well close your eyes." She replied in a slightly seductive tone. Surprised, he did as she told, amazed he was getting a kiss so easily or even at all. "Ready?" He nodded. Suddenly, something distinctly hand-shaped struck him across the cheek.

"Owwwww…. Sheeenaaaaa…" He whined, his good hand coming up to nurse his painful cheek.

"How many times do I have to slap you before you learn not to push your luck?" Her voice was no longer seductive, though it wasn't exactly angry either.

"Many, many more, my voluptuous hunny."

"Good. 'Cause maybe one of those times, it might work."

_(I don't exactly like the ending, but… oh well. Pfft. Who cares. lol Read and Review. )_


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Fire

_(Sorry it's been so long since I updated. I just had no idea what to write for 'fire'. I thought at first, the fire of passion between them or something sappy like that, but the other two one-shots have been sappy and I like variety. Then I thought of the Triet area, Efreet's fiery home, etc. but I couldn't think of anything to go with that. Then for like five days wouldn't let me update. So… Here's this.)_

It was common knowledge amongst the group of eight that Sheena Fujibayashi absolutely, positively, completely, and utterly _loathed_ the Chosen of Tethe'alla. No, perhaps that wasn't exactly true. She had no problems with the Chosen… It was the man behind the title, Zelos Wilder, that she despised. She hated him for his womanizing ways, for his constant groping of her personal areas, for how he never truly cared about anyone. She hated him for his hunnies, for his mansion, for his life of luxury. But most of all, she hated him for how he lived his life carefree. How he was always lighthearted, always grinning, always joking, where Sheena could barely escape her past, her present, and her future long enough to smile. But, in all honesty, why she hated him doesn't matter. Just the fact that she hated him, and everyone knew it. Nobody knew it more than Zelos himself, who felt the hate more often than not with a slap on the cheek, a kick in the sensitive area, or one of eight or so Summon Spirits summoned on him. So it came as quite a surprise when she came to him one day, all the way from Mizuho, and said to him, 'I need your help.' See, the Mizuho Book had been stolen. Upon hearing that, one may think, 'What's the big deal? It's just a book.' But that book held the secrets of over ten generations of ninjas, secrets that would mean disaster if any of the outside world knew. So it was vital, worth half the village's lives, to get it back. So Chief Igaguri, having awoken a year before from his coma, sent Sheena to retrieve it. He knew she could do it. After all, she'd helped save the two worlds, had she not? But she knew she couldn't do it alone. She needed someone famous, worshipped… Chosen. So she'd found him, and he'd eagerly accepted, and off they went on an adventure…

-----

Every muscle in his body was tense. He didn't know exactly why; all he knew was, she had tensed like this moments before, and rarely did she tense without good reason. Usually, this foretold danger. So when she tensed, he followed suit. Silence enveloped the pair, yet she still did not relax. Her ultra-sensitive hazel eyes took in their surroundings, from each branch to each pebble. Though he couldn't tell by looking, he knew her ears were just as keen, and silence was crucial to her identification of whatever had caused her tension. So he didn't speak. He didn't move. He hardly dared _breathe_… Until her voice at last broke the silence.

"Kuchinawa." She murmured, her feelings for the other ninja quite evident in her tone. Even if the redheaded Chosen hadn't heard before of Sheena's rivalry with Kuchinawa, he would have easily learned of it then. And a moment later, her suspicions were confirmed. A figure, clad in red and black from head to toe, stepped from the shadows of the forest. Even through his mask, the pair could almost see his smirk.

"Kuchinawa." She spoke his name again, though this time louder, and with far more disdain. The ninja in question snorted in amusement.

"Still alive, are we? Pity. Now I have to watch you shame our once-proud village once more." He sneered, though a hint of something akin to regret lingered in his last phrase. The raven-haired ninja's hand shot to the pink ribbon holding together her violet robe, sliding her thumb beneath the soft silk where her card lay hidden.

"Get out of our way, Kuchinawa, or I'll be forced to kill you. I'm on a highly important mission, and I can't allow an exile like you to delay me!" She called, her tone almost that of a warning growl. Zelos stepped up beside her, shooting her a cautionary glance, his mind replaying the last time she'd attempted to kill the ex-Mizuhoan. The memory caused him to wince slightly… It had been three days before she'd woken up, and even then she was sore for quite a while. Though she had improved, he couldn't help but have his reservations.

"Highly important mission? I distinctly remember you failing the last one… Ah yes, as well as the one before that." Though his voice was level, a flicker of vengeance passed through his darkened eyes at the mention of her first mission. Volt. A third of the village had been wiped out… Including Kuchinawa and his brother Orochi's parents. Sheena winced slightly, her confidence flickering a moment, before her eyes met her rival's once more, burning defensively.

"I distinctly remember saving both Tethe'alla AND Sylvarant from certain destruction. Or has that one slipped your mind?" Her reply was icy, and it took the crimson-clad shinobi a moment to figure how to respond. She had a point, after all.

"Now tell me, does your 'highly important mission' have anything to do with… this, by any chance?" His voice was nonchalant, as if it were an everyday question, but the moment he pulled a mahogany-leather book from his robe, the matter became anything but everyday.

"The Mizuho Book." Sheena gasped, and only then did Zelos realize what this worn-out book truly was, for never before had he even _close_ to seen such a secret artifact.

"Oh, it does? Sorry to burst your bubble, Sheena-chan, but I'm going to have to keep this a while longer." He feigned sadness, though all three present knew he was mocking her.

"Sheena-chan? I am not a child!" She raged, but was interrupted by Kuchinawa as he stepped a step back.

"It's quite a shame to cut this little reunion short, but I must be going now. Ciao." With that and a final smirk, the shinobi turned on his heels and dashed off down the path. Like lightning, Sheena sprang after him, so fast that even Zelos, with his angelic reflexes, couldn't reach out and stop her in time.

"Sheena! Wait!" He couldn't let her go after Kuchinawa, for if the shinobi was fast, Sheena was faster yet, and surely they'd end up battling. He didn't want to see her hurt again…

The ninja heard his cry but made no move to stop. "Kuchinawa, you're _mine_."

The Chosen closed his eyes, reaching deep inside himself for the place his fiery golden-red wings were stored, and in record time they'd materialized on his back. By now, Sheena had disappeared from sight before him, so he had to hurry before she caught up to the shinobi. Lifting silently from the ground, he flew higher and higher, all the while winging after the pair. He stopped ascending and focused on forward when he got to a better vantage height.

Meanwhile, Sheena could see her foe just ahead, where the forest opened up to a cliff, a massive river, and a narrow rope-bridge spanning the gap. Kuchinawa was halfway across the bridge, and in just a few more footfalls she'd be upon it as well. Five more steps, four, three…

Zelos saw them both from above, and he knew just what he had to do. Kuchinawa was just bounding from the bridge, and Sheena had nearly reached the first plank. He tucked his wings in, falling into a swift dive straight at the spot. But Sheena was a mere three steps away at max, he wouldn't reach it in time…

"FIRE BALL!" cried a voice from above Sheena's head, and to her dismay the two supporting ropes were aflame in seconds. She made to leap over it, but was tackled mid-air and shoved back to solid land, just as the bridge fell away before her. Kuchinawa had escaped, and Zelos had made it so. After staring after the shinobi a moment, watching helplessly as he sprung out of sight, she whirled on the redhead, looking about ready to shoot fire herself.

"What the hell was _that _for? You let him get away! Whose side are you on, you pathetic, idiotic, boneheaded, perverted, obnoxious little-… little-… UGH!" She roared, growling in frustration after finding no name she could call him that properly suited her rage.

"Sheena, you would have been _killed_!" Zelos cried in response, bracing himself as the ninja came forward, hand poised to strike. After a moment, however, she made a noise of disgust and turned away, too frustrated to even slap him.

"Sheena, I-"

"Get the hell away from me, Zelos." She demanded without looking his way. After a moment of hopeful waiting, he sighed, turned, and sulked off into the forest. Turning his cerulean eyes back for a final look, he saw Sheena, sitting on the cliff with her head in her hands… For the first time since he'd known her, Sheena Fujibayashi was crying.

_(Aww. Decided to make this a sad one.)_


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Electricity

_(Sorry it's been so long since I updated. I know this is the second chapter I've started like this, but... Meh. I have other things to do, and I'm in the middle of planning two fics, as well as writing a couple on my other account which shall not be named, so… yeah. Here goes my first attempt at Sheelos in quite a while.)_

"How is electricity made?"

It had only been six hours since the group had reunited in Iselia, and already Lloyd was asking questions. Nobody minded though; everybody was too excited to see each other again to mind much of anything. It had been a year since they'd all been together like this, even though when they parted ways they'd vowed to keep in touch. One thing led to another, one letter unanswered, one visit neglected, and all of a sudden they had forgotten the vows they made. Or at least deemed them unimportant. One of those things you'll 'get to eventually' but never do.

So here everybody was, together at last, all lounging around at Dirk's house. The red-clad swordsman mentioned earlier was seated comfortably on the bottom step of the stairs up to his room, Zelos sprawled lengthwise across one closer to the top, relaxing with his back against the wall and one foot dangling over the edge of the stairs. Raine was seated at the table on the wooden area by the stairs, and beside her sat Sheena, in the chair with her back to the stairs. Presea sat on Raine's other side, and Regal sat cross-legged on the dirt floor, completely ignoring the fact that an open chair remained. Colette and Genis were seated on the dirt near Lloyd, Colette cross-legged as well with her back to the wall and Genis sitting on the wooden ledge beside the stairs. The trio rubbed Noishe's stomach vigorously, and the protozan wriggled in joy.

"Boys, Colette, I don't think Noishe is supposed to be in the house," warned Raine, and when the three paused to direct their attention at the Professor, the Noishe in question whimpered slightly.

"Come on, Professor... He'd be so _lonely_ out there all alone with nobody to scratch his belly for him." Colette pleaded, and at mention of belly scratching she once more began doing just that. Satisfied, Noishe relaxed, panting joyously.

"Yeah, Dirk doesn't mind," chimed in Genis, resuming the rubbing as well.

"If you say so..." Sighed Raine, though she highly doubted that the animal belonged in the house. Not that she hadn't grown somewhat fond of the beast along the journey, but she never had really _liked_ Noishe.

Sheena watched this scene with vague interest. She was too busy basking in the presence of her friends to mind if Noishe was in or out, though if the presence of the protozan made the three happy, then he deserved to stay.

"Guys, how is electricity made?" Lloyd questioned again. Sheena chuckled slightly. Lloyd had always had a childlike curiosity and a craving for knowledge... When he wasn't supposed to be learning, of course.

"Mana, silly!" Giggled the tiny angel, but Lloyd seemed unsatisfied. He looked to Regal, who shrugged.

"My father decided I didn't need school and pulled me out in my fifth year, giving me a high-up position at the Lezorano Company instead. When he passed on, I became president." Regal explained semi-apologetically. Lloyd didn't reply, his curious gaze shifting to Presea.

"Electricity is a certain sort of mana. Mana is made up of mana atoms," supplied Presea, but it seemed to Sheena that Lloyd was even more confused now than before.

"Mana atoms?" The swordsman inquired, looking to Genis, who shrugged helplessly.

"I've heard of them, but I've never really had time to learn about them," the mage informed him shamefully. Lloyd then looked to the Professor, who took a breath.

"Mana atoms are-" she began, but another unexpected voice cut her off.

"Mana atoms are tiny pieces of matter. Atoms make up everything there is, but mana atoms are specially charged to be used as mana. An atom is so small, it couldn't fuel an insect for more than a second, and that's why there are a lot of them. A mana atom is made up of two parts: the nucleus and the electron cloud. The nucleus is positively charged, and it stays in the center of the electron cloud at all times. The electron cloud is a bunch of negatively charged electrons going around in circles around the nucleus. It may be tiny, but if an atom is split, even a non-mana atom, the result is a devastating explosion."

What surprised Sheena was that it wasn't the Professor that gave this answer. What surprised her more still was that it was, in fact, Zelos.

Everyone stared at him, dumbstruck.

"How did _you_ know something _Genis_ didn't know? Genis knows everything, even his name sounds like genius!" Objected Lloyd, and Zelos smirked.

"Actually, it reminds me more of 'penis'." The redhead shot back, and Lloyd erupted with laughter, while the Professor glared at said redhead and Colette restrained Genis from pounding Zelos's face in. The rest of the day was spent in similar conversations, but Sheena paid no mind to most of them. She was too busy pondering what had occurred, and more importantly, Zelos.

The ex-Chosen had, during the course of the day, shifted positions, and now was laying on his stomach across the stair he was resting on, one arm folded with his chin resting on it, the other arm dangling over the step. How could the ninja tell? Every so often, his fingers would brush across her hair. It always seemed to be when her mind had found a new topic to think about, and it always seemed to bring her thoughts back to the redhead and his surprising show of intelligence. But she didn't mind. For she and Zelos had kept in touch while the others had not and, though they showed no hint of it to the others, a bond had developed between them. So she would not move away when he brushed his fingers against her hair, but instead she would relish the feel.

_'Y'know, me and Zelos are kind of like an atom. I'm the nucleus in the center, and he's the negatively charged electron, always buzzing around me, being a pervert, annoying me to pieces, and being a general negative point in my life. But even though we're charged opposite ways, if something tried to seperate us, the result would be devastating.'_

_(I... am not sure I like this one. It probably is way too short and makes no sense. I just felt so bad not updating. I've gotta get back into the swing of Sheelos. The next one will be so much better, I promise.)_


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Earth

_(Trying to get these ten done and out of my way so I can move on to bigger, better fics. :D This is set after Retribution and before the next fic in the series, by the way.)_

It had surprised many when the ladies' man Chosen, Zelos Wilder, had announced 'that scruffy ninja' as his one and only hunny. It had surprised them even more when the ninja who'd for so long hated him welcomed this announcement with open arms. Figuratively, of course. A more literal description was that she'd welcomed it with a wide smile and a hand rested reassuringly on her newest and most powerful card, Conicere, in case any of his former hunnies mutinied. They did, as expected, but they could do little more than slap at her in an utterly disgraceful fashion before walking off in a huff. But that's straying from the point. The pair continued to surprise the public, twice more, when Sheena moved in with Zelos, then when they both moved out into a quiet area near Ozette. Some people thought Sheena was the best thing that could happen to Zelos, and some thought she should go back where she came from. But nobody's opinions mattered but the ninja's and the redhead's, and neither of them had a single regret.

It was a day like any other, calm and peaceful. The duo were sitting at their kitchen table, eating a hearty plate of omelets. Ever since Zelos had declared omelets his specialty, it was more energy than Sheena decided worth wasting to convince him not to cook them. At least there was variety. Sometimes cheese omelets, sometimes veggie, sometimes chicken, sometimes sausage, sometimes all of the above. On the one occasion he made a drake-meat omelet, she opted out of that breakfast, having had bad experiences with said reptiles in the past. On this particular morning, it was green onion and cheese omelets, and the pair were halfway finished and eating quickly. Sheena was ravenous, having done a bit of dawn training, and Zelos was eating swiftly so as not to let the ninja outdo him. Basically, they were both fairly focused on their food. So it came as a great shock to them when a blinding light erupted from the dead center of their table.

Both ninja and redhead leapt backwards, Sheena managing to leap to her feet and reflexively drawing her card and assuming her fighting stance, while Zelos, in his haste to escape, tipped his chair over backwards and lay dazed on the floor, rubbing the back of his skull. Then the light cleared, and Sheena heaved a sigh of relief. Standing on the center of her kitchen table was a small furry being, more commonly known as Gnome.

The Summon Spirit looked around a moment before spotting Sheena and stepping to the edge of the table toward her.

"Hey gorgeous, long time no see!" He greeted her, but she didn't take it personally. This was how he greeted everyone. Zelos chose that moment to rise to his feet, massaging a sore spot amidst his hair and muttering mutinous curses under his breath.

"Ah, still hangin' around with this clown? You could do way better, Sheena. But it's your choice I guess." The miniature creature continued, shooting Zelos a disdainful look before turning back to the summoner, oblivious to the death-glare fixed upon the back of his skull.

"Is there a reason you're here, Gnome?" Sheena prompted, her voice level, all the while restraining Zelos with her gaze. He made no more complaints, but muttered under his breath something along the lines of, 'nobody calls my hunny gorgeous but _me_'.

"What, can't an old friend drop by for a pleasant visit? I'm hurt, Sheena, I really am." Gnome placed a hand over his heart, acting the part.

"Get on with it." Zelos growled, a tone of voice rarely used by the laid-back redhead. Had he not just fallen hard on his skull, and had this not been Gnome he was dealing with, the Summon Spirit who had irked him for longer than he could recall, he would be doing no such growling. But since he had, and since it was, his practiced tone held just a the faintest hint of a snarl.

"Alright, alright! Sheesh, what's got _his_ panties in a twist?" Gnome directed the question at Sheena, but with no answer aside from an expectant gaze, he sighed. "What was I here for? Oh yeah, I just thought you might want to know that I heard some voices calling for help from a cave near my Seal. I figured this would concern you 'cause the voices seemed familiar, and I think it may just be your little swordsman buddy and the angel chick."

"Lloyd and Colette!" Sheena gasped, and Gnome snapped his fingers in realization.

"Yeah, those are the ones! Good with names, you are." He confirms, and Sheena looked to Zelos, who gazed back at her a while. She cocked her head slightly in question, and he nodded. The Summon Spirit looked from one to the other, then back to the first, back and forth through this whole exchange, before chuckling slightly in amusement and confusion.

"I'm gonna scram, you guys and your weird mind-talking's starting to creep me out. Ciao!"

And in a considerably less blinding light, Gnome was gone. And within seconds, so were Sheena and Zelos, their weapons in hand and their path set. Off to rescue Lloyd and Colette. To save their friends.

-----

"I think I hear them," Sheena stated, slowing down slightly to listen. Beside her, Zelos slowed as well. All was silent for a moment, before two distinct voices called out through the canyon.

'Help us, we're stuck!'

'Please, somebody, come save us!'

"It _is_ them!" She continued, glancing at Zelos incredulously.

"Hold on, buddy, I'm coming! I won't let you and my little angel die!" Zelos called in the general direction from which the voices came, and though Sheena felt a deep distaste for how easily Zelos fell back into Colette's old 'nickname', she followed him close when he ran to make good of his word.

This was where they strayed from the path. Gnome's temple was to their right, as ventured the beaten path, but the voices came from a cave to our left and up the canyon wall ever-so-slightly. This little fact didn't deter the ninja or the redhead, however, only made them push all the harder to reach their friends.

Their rush, their fierce determination, their desperate searching, it all came to a screeching halt the second they entered the cave and it's infectious shadows fell over them. Well, for Zelos at least, the halt wasn't exactly screeching, but it was pretty close.

"Llo-"

Sheena cut the redhead off with a hand over his mouth, glancing around her cautiously. "Shh. Don't yell in here. Something... doesn't feel right."

He hesitated a second, but nodded. She slowly removed her hand.

"Y'think it could be your ninja seventh sense telling us that Lloyd and Colette might be already dead?" He asked, but by the panicked look on her face, he regretted it instantly. "Sorry, just a thought."

"Well stop thinking then. This place is creepy enough already," she replied softly as they slowly walked through the darkness. In response to her anxiety, she felt his hand slip into hers, squeezing it comfortingly. Any other time, the ninja would have smiled, but somehow, she couldn't manage that little show of happiness right then.

They continued to walk in silence for a while, the shadows getting thicker and thicker.

"Maybe you could summon Efreet for a little light? This place is starting to give _me_ the heebie-jeebies," shivered Zelos, and Sheena couldn't agree with him more. She nodded, then remembered he couldn't see her, before vocalizing her affirmation.

"Yeah. Let go a second, and take a few more steps so you don't get burned in case it flares up."

He complied, and she heard his footsteps continue when hers stopped.

"_Grant me an orb of light to banish these foreboding shadows. Come Ef-_"

There was a loud commotion that interrupted her summoning. Apparently, Zelos had managed to run into, stumble over, or trip on something.

'_Don't yell, don't yell, don't yell-'_

"SHIT, OWWWW!" Roared the redhead, just as she'd hoped he wouldn't do, followed by a pained hissing noise. But more importantly than the hissing noise was the rumbling that suddenly came from overhead. They both sat in dead silence a moment, not knowing whether there were boulders, stalagmites, or both resting above their heads, just waiting to fall and crush or impale a Chosen or a ninja. The rumbling only intensified in the silence.

Whatever it was, it was coming down.

"Zelos, come on, we've gotta get out of here!" Sheena cried, abandoning her silence in a frantic need to get them both out of the cave. Had he not hesitated, but instead ran right to the summoner's side and ran from the cave with her, things might have ended just fine. But he couldn't.

"But Lloyd and Colette-" He started, but Sheena's cry had only made the rumbling louder.

"ZELOS!" She cut him off, her voice desperate. She'd braved demons six times her size without a hint of fear, but the ninja had long been plagued with dreams of walls and ceilings of various places closing in, so she was mildly claustrophobic to begin with. To have the entire cave toppling in on her, that provoked a panic unseen before in Sheena's history. Unfortunately for them both, that one, terrified word was the straw that broke the pack-mule's back. Suddenly the ground itself shuddered violently, and a terrible landslide of rocks and boulders collapsed from the ceiling, with a thundering so loud, Meltokio could probably hear it clearly. She covered her head, but it did little good, as a rock struck her shoulder and sent the already unsteady ninja to the ground. A muffled cry of pain could be heard, but before she could worry about Zelos, another rock fell heavily onto her leg. She cried out once more, drawing her limbs close and whimpering in pain.

But then bad got worse.

With her heightened senses she caught the vibrations and the faint hissing sound of a pointed stalagmite, slicing through the air just above her. Fear seized her form, and on reflex, she called out for the only one who she knew could help her.

"GNOME!"

And suddenly the stalagmite stopped. She felt no more vibrations, and the faint hiss was no longer. Sometime in the past few seconds, the falling rocks had ceased as well, and they made their last settling groans before they too fell silent. She slowly uncurled her limbs, shaking uncontrollably. A hand was reached experimentally above her, and panic seized her form for a few more moments as she felt the razor-sharp edge of the stalagmite suspended six inches above her chest. It was the sort of panic that you get when you are just driving away from your camping spot and you see a giant two-headed dragon strolling into the clearing you were camped at, or when you are leaving your aunt's house and when you get home you hear that the entire town was destroyed moments after you left. The near-death panic.

"Take it away, _please_…" Sheena whispered hoarsely, and the stalagmite slowly moved to the right, lowering to the ground with a thump. She then tried to rise, but found her limbs wouldn't hold her, so she fell to her knees once more, clearing her throat to rid it of the dust the rockslide sent into the air.

"Efreet, that orb please?" She whispered, and suddenly a ball of light was suspended beside her. Another moment of near-death panic ensued as she saw stalagmites and boulders all around her, some as close as a foot and a half away. The majority of them were five feet beyond her, however, in a pile that reached clear to the ceiling, forming a blockade to any who wished to pass. And this next panic, however similar the feeling was, was totally different in origin.

"Zelos?!" She called experimentally, not too loud, yet not too soft either. A muffled groan was heard from the general direction of the rockade, as she called it in her mind. She crawled over to the rocks, calling again. "_Zelos?_" Another groan, this one more pained than the last. After a moment, however, a voice came in reply.

"Sheena?" Though it was groggy— Sheena supposed a rock must have struck him on the head— the reply meant that Zelos remained alive and fairly unharmed. A wave of relief washed over the ninja, and she tried again.

"Zelos, you're okay?!"

"…Define 'okay'." Came the reply, and Sheena smiled slightly despite herself.

"You're all… intact?"

"Hold on, lemme check-"

"Your arms and legs and head and stuff, idiot. I could care less what happens between your legs." She replied, cutting him off.

"You will eventually, my voluptuous hunny, mark my word."

Sheena rolled her eyes.

"You're fine," she declared, and received no objection from the Chosen. It suddenly struck her how strange a conversation they were having, considering what had just occurred, and considering they may not be out of the water just yet. "Now we have to get you out. Can you see the light?"

"No, I don't think I can."

Sheena got a lump in her throat. What if they couldn't get him out? What if he was stuck there forever? She wouldn't leave him, she couldn't. Does that mean _she'd_ be stuck there too? Forever? Forever is an awfully long time…

"Hey, wait a sec! I think I can see a little bit right here. Sheena, can you see me?"

The ninja shook her head, sending away all the 'what if's and watching the wall for any sign of Zelos. After a minute, she sighed in disappointment.

"No, I can't see you. Are you sure you-" But then she stopped short. The dirt just to her left was moving ever so slightly. "Yeah, I see you! Hold on, I'll help," she called to the redhead, and she as well began scooping away at the dirt in question, tossing the occasional rock over her shoulder. A minute or so's work revealed something that Sheena, for a second, had doubted she may ever see again. A hand. Zelos's hand.

She grabbed it, holding onto the appendage like it was her lifeline, pressing her cheek to it's soothing warmth.

"Sheena, you're _shaking_," came Zelos's concerned voice, far clearer now that there was a hole connecting his side to hers. She laughed slightly, as one is prone to do while coming off of a panicked state.

"Of course I am, you idiot, I thought I'd never see you again."

"You can't get rid of the Great Zelos that easily," he replied, his lighthearted tone resumed.

For nearly an hour they sat there, hand in hand. It took that long just for Sheena to recover. Some of the time was in conversation, some of it in a pained silence, for now that the danger had passed, Sheena's shoulder and leg had tripled in pain. She wasn't sure, but she figured her shoulder was broken. Both were bleeding like crazy. But she managed to ignore them fairly well, as ninja training had taught her to do. For a while, at least. Then things started to blur, and Efreet's orb started to fade…

Suddenly, her eyes flew open, and she realized she'd fallen asleep. Zelos's hand was limp in hers, and she figured he was sleeping as well. It must have been daytime by now, and the ninja knew she couldn't just sit there forever. While one hand continued to cling to his, the other started scooping away the dirt surrounding it, each movement of her arm sending pain through her shoulder and all down her back. It took nearly forever, or so it seemed, but the hole through which Zelos's arm was protruding grew progressively wider and wider. Many times the dirt caved back in, only to be cleared away once more. She wasn't raised a shinobi just to give up _that_ easily. And hours later, she was almost there…

-----

When Zelos opened his cerulean eyes once more, the first thing he saw was a familiar pair of hazel ones. And the voluptuous ninja that they were attached to. _His_ voluptuous ninja, his favoritest hunny, his Sheena. He threw both arms around her, knowing full well that he'd likely stain her robe with the blood from the gash on his arm, but not caring one bit. He did care, however, when she gasped in pain at his movement. He recoiled as if scalded, his hands up in innocence.

"What hurts, Sheena?" He asked, his eyes concerned. She laughed dryly.

"Pretty much everything, actually. I was attacked by boulders and stalagmites, slept on a bed of them, then spent hours digging you out. Should I _not_ be in pain?" She attempted at dry humor, but Zelos didn't even smile. He gazed at her firmly, waiting for an answer to his question. "It's nothing really, I've had worse-"

"What hurts, Sheena?" The redhead repeated, this time more forcefully. Efreet's orb came up beside them just then, and he caught sight of a massive crimson stain on the shoulder of her robe. This caused even the redhead to wince. He raised a hand slowly up to her shoulder, gently peeling back the shoulder of her usually violet attire. She tensed up, her hand flying up to grab his wrist reflexively.

"It's okay, I'm just trying to help," he whispered soothingly. "Trust me."

And her hand hesitantly released his wrist, at the same time her gaze left his face. She looked away shamefully, for those from her former village were raised not to show pain or similar weaknesses. Unhurriedly, he peeled back the shoulder of her robe, revealing her bare skin. The Chosen felt her tense up again, expecting him to do something perverted or lecherous. Yet that was the farthest thing from his mind right then, especially when he saw the sickening blue and green colors of her normally flawless skin, and the way her shoulder bulged irritably.

"It's _broken_, Sheena… Heh, you sure as hell know how to break a shoulder. The last time I saw something this bad was when I broke my ankle in the battle against Yggdrasill. I kept fighting anyways, you remember, and that's probably _why_ it was this bad."

"I... I _did_ use it to dig me through…" The ninja hesitantly admitted, and Zelos swore under his breath.

"That might explain it."

With that, he called upon his healing mana, placing his hand gently on her shoulder. She winced, but tried not to move away from the pain. At last, he called out, "_First Aid_!"

But not too loudly, for even Zelos learns from his mistakes.

Slowly he watched as the swelling went down, and when it was done, only a faint blue-green color remained. He healed her leg as well, when he discovered it, and then they crawled through the hole back to their side of the rockade. Hand in hand they walked back through the tunnel, and Sheena was all too eager to get back to the outside world. Yet Zelos was in no hurry. Every few seconds, his eyes would drift to her face, to admire her beauty a moment, then to realize even more how right his decision was.

None of his other hunnies would have stayed, would have dug him out with a broken arm, would have even _gone_. Sheena did. This was the third time she'd saved him from certain death... He couldn't help but think of her as his guardian angel of sorts. Even a mess like she was, she still looked the part, walking with grace and holding a natural beauty unmatched by any other woman in existence. Sheena the Guardian Angel. That name just seemed to fit.

And with that thought, they stepped out of the cave that had tested them so cruelly and into the light of their lives once more.

_(Mwehehe, Gnooooooome! –snugs him- This one was longer. I kinda like it. Hehehe... READ AND REVIEW! I'll answer every review I get!)_


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6: Ice

_(Not sure when this is. Sometime after the game, I guess. Only a few chapters left. Like, four after this. Or something. Not good with math. :P Whoa, and did you know that the dood who voices Shadow also plays Cosmo from the Fairly Odd Parents? And Rodyle? Rodyle and Cosmo sound a little similar, but SHADOW and Cosmo? Nuh uh.)_

"I'm sorry to tell you this, Sebastian, but I'm not leaving the house today, and there's no way in Tethe'alla that you can force me."

The Chosen was sitting cross-legged on his bed, his head tilted slightly to the side with his hair cascading down on the right, where he proceeded to brush it thoroughly. He could tell that his announcement irritated the butler slightly, but he also knew that Sebastian had the sense not to say anything, for it could cost his job if he did. Not that Zelos could live without him, but that's a different matter.

"What has caused your aversion to the outside world today, Master Zelos?" Prompted the butler, his voice carefully even.

"Oh, nothing really. I just don't feel like being tailed everywhere by a bunch of mindless noblewomen today, that's all," offered Zelos, but after a moment, he amended his words to make them more Zeloslike. "I mean, I don't think I can handle that much female essence without dying and going to heaven. You wouldn't want me to do that, now would you?"

As much as Sebastian wanted to say 'yes, actually, I very well would', he knew that wouldn't be altogether true, so he shook his head. "As you wish, Master Zelos. I'm assuming you wish that any 'female essence' that shows up at your doorstep be sent away?"

"Please, if you would."

In Zelos-speak, that means 'if you don't I'll whine, complain, and make you braid my hair'. And they both knew it. Nonetheless, Sebastian nodded, and exited the room. And Zelos continued to brush his hair, stroke after stroke after stroke. When he finally finished, he set his brush on the nightstand beside his bed and looked around his room. It had been a while since he'd stayed home for a day; what was there to _do_? His eyes roamed over his closet, then his dresser, then finally his bookcase.

"I might as well read, if I'm gonna be bored all day. A man as sexy as myself can't go around all illiterate and such," he announced to himself, rising smoothly to his feet and strolling over to his bookcase. If one were a psychologist, they could look at his habit of talking to himself almost constantly, and conclude that he was lonely. But since none who read this will likely be a psychologist, they may just think that Zelos has finally cracked. Which is prone to happen, to those with no true company. But anyways, back to the story.

He slipped a book entitled '_Zelos Wilder: Chosen, Nobleman, Ladies Man' _from an upper shelf, flipping idly through the pages. Pictures of him in his childhood, pictures of him as an adult surrounded by hunnies, pictures of him with random famous people, all with text in between, no doubt talking about him. The redhead flipped back to the beginning, looking more closely at each of the photos. He was playing with toys while Sebastian watched over, then he was eating dinner with the Princess, then he was receiving his Cruxis Crystal from the church. Not one of the ten or so pictures had either of his parents in it. Sure, he'd never been very close to his dad, the man being busy with Seles' mother and all, but for the first eight or ten years of his life he'd been quite attached to his mother. Until his dad's mistress killed her, of course…

A heavy thump on the window shocked him out of his melancholic recollections, causing him to jump in alarm and drop his book. Yet Zelos didn't pick it back up, and so it would sit for the rest of the day, splayed open on the plush rug. He hastily sidled over to the sliding glass door, the one that revealed his balcony, and drew open the curtains. There, standing on his balcony, leaning against the railing with her arms crossed, was Sheena Fujibayashi, a smirk on her face. Zelos grinned, glad for a distraction from his memories, especially one so curvy, voluptuous, and, well, _Sheena-like_. The remainders of a snowball was sliding down a window, and in that moment Zelos noticed the white blanketing Meltokio. It had snowed in the night. He recoiled, his grin fading to a look of poorly masked horror. Zelos hated snow. No, hated was the wrong word. He feared it. For nearly ten years, the Chosen had spent the winters in Altamira, where the weather was always warm and rain was nearly nonexistent.

Suddenly, Sheena was gone, and so was his window, his curtains, his room. He was in the snow in front of his mansion, rolling a ball for a snowman. His thick gloves made it difficult to work with the snow as he wished, but he was determined, so he managed. The blonde-framed, smiling face of his mother, Mylene Wilder, hovered just above him, and her hands gave his snowball a push whenever he needed help. Her smile was a little strained, but sincere nonetheless. Zelos was chilled to the bone, yet he couldn't stop smiling. Snow fascinated him and entertained him more than any book or puzzle could, a fact that confused the woman to no end. Yet, being the devoted mother that she was, Mylene took Zelos out in the snow nearly every day of the winter months so he could play in it, an act which the child never grew tired of.

"Here, Zelos, let me help," she softly obliged, and leaned closer to give the snowball an extra push to free it from it's semi-stuck position.

Yet her hand never made it that far.

Before the young Chosen knew it, a fountain of blood sprayed his face, clothes, and surrounding snow, and with an agonized gasp, the woman fell to the ground.

"M-Mommy!?" Zelos whimpered, dropping to his knees beside his fallen mother. He was too young to understand why it had happened, but from the accusing look in Mylene Wilder's eyes, he knew it was his fault.

"_You should never have been born._"

That was all she said before the life faded from her eyes, but it echoed in his head, over and over, for the rest of his life. Whenever he was feeling down, whenever he took off his carefree mask, it was there.

'_You should never have been born.'_

"Zelos? I didn't know I was _that_ fearsome." The teasing voice of Sheena echoed into his childhood, and almost immediately his surroundings faded. He was back in his room, though still shaking uncontrollably. Looking about in confusion, he realized what had happened. It had been his imagination, it was all in his head. He was still on his knees, but no longer in the snow. Leaning back against his bed, he closed his eyes, trying to recover.

There was a metallic hiss, one which Zelos had come to associate with the opening of the glass door, and soon he could feel someone crouched beside him.

"Zelos?! Are you okay?" Her voice was concerned. Surprisingly. Sure, they'd been on good enough terms, but it was enough of a surprise that she'd showed up on his balcony, let alone that she cared enough to hold such concern in her voice. The Chosen just couldn't say no. It took strength he didn't have to admit that he was a wreck to the one who'd for the longest time ridiculed his every mistake. So he heaved a shaky breath, collected himself, opened his eyes, and smiled.

"Of course, why wouldn't I be?" He grinned, a grin that was flawlessly realistic. She'd never tell the difference. He hoped. She gazed at him a moment in appraisal, apparently deciding whether to take his word for it or not.

"Perhaps because you looked like you'd just seen a ghost, then practically collapsed on the floor and started shaking?" She offered skeptically.

"Ah. That."

The Chosen was backed into a corner. The only way out was the truth.

"I just... don't like the snow, that's all."

Sheena looked about to question him further, but decided against it. She opened her mouth to continue, but then a look of realization came over her face, and she adopted a crestfallen façade.

"Then I suppose you don't want to come have a snowball fight with me?" She asked, slightly disappointed.

"You came all the way to the city of Meltokio, even though you hate it, all the way through the nobles section, even though you hate them, and all the way up onto my balcony, even though you hate _me_, ask for a snowball fight?" Zelos clarified, raising an eyebrow skeptically. The ninja scowled defensively.

"Well… Yeah. Yeah I did," she admitted, followed closely by an indignant, "and I don't hate you, so quit saying that."

"Heh, you could've fooled me."

"I only slap you when you deserve it."

"And when the hell do I deserve it?"

"Well, when you attempt to handle, touch, or stare at any areas you shouldn't. Like now," she added, raising a hand in warning. His eyes promptly lifted back to her face.

"Just kidding, my voluptuous hunny. Though if I may be spared from your wrath for a moment, I'd like to put in word that it's hard not to stare at something that's waved so invitingly in my face."

She crossed her arms across her chest defensively, and he smirked.

Downstairs, Sebastian was enjoying a cup of Meltokio's Finest Green Tea and he heard a loud 'SMACK' resound through the halls.

"Ah, I see Miss Sheena's dropped by. I do hope she comes down to say hello before she leaves; I've always liked her more than the others," he mused to himself.

Back upstairs, Zelos was hastily pulling himself backwards away from the ninja with widened eyes, a hand on his cheek where a red handprint branded the skin, bleeding slightly at the ends where her nails had caught him. Sheena was smoothing out her hair in a dignified fashion, clearly feeling he deserved every bit of it.

"What was th-"

"You know full well what that was for, pervert." She cut him off, not even glancing his way. He sighed in defeat.

"Can't you take a joke?"

With this little grumble, he sidled back over to sit by her again, his hands up portraying innocent intentions and his eyes carefully held various places _above_ her collarbone.

They sat there for a few moments in silence. The redhead glanced over to his bookshelf, for the first time noticing the book he'd dropped, but he didn't bother to pick it up. When he looked back at the raven-haired ninja, she was gazing longingly out the window at the untouched snow. Zelos suppressed a shudder, but rose to his feet, offering a hand to help her rise.

"I guess if you _really want to_, we can go play in the snow," the Chosen slowly offered, and if he'd ever seen Sheena's face light up faster, then he was an Altamiran hooker. The look of glee on her face was absolutely priceless, enough so that, even though he dreaded the task to come with every fiber of his being, he grinned as well. She accepted his aid in rising, and they exited the glass door, immediately greeted with that same sunny chill that Zelos had avoided for years now. He winced, but continued before she noticed his hesitation. The ninja, on the other hand, didn't hesitate a moment. In fact, before he had even finished closing the door, she was standing on the railing, with her back to the rest of Meltokio. A mischievous smirk slowly formed at the corners of her mouth, and without a word, Sheena slowly fell backwards off the balcony.

"SHEENA!" Zelos called in alarm, bounding over and leaning over the railing, to see her falling spread-eagled toward the ground. He summoned up his wings, climbing up to dive down after her, but just before she hit the snow, she called out.

"_Celsius!_"

Suddenly, a cloud of snow formed beneath her, slowing her descent, until she at last hovered in midair. Then, to Zelos's surprise, the ninja slowly rose back up to his height. She took one look at his semi-panicked state and laughed.

"Come on, I'm not _that_ stupid, jumping without anything to catch me. _Chill_, Zelos." With a snort of amusement at her pun, she grabbed him by the wrist, and before he could think to resist, he was pulled off the balcony railing. Yet he didn't fall. Instead, the two slowly sank back to the ground, and the snow cloud dissipated.

Though Sheena was obviously enjoying herself, Zelos had never been more tense in his life. He was fighting his memories and his fears back with inhumane fervency, knowing that if he didn't they'd overwhelm him again. Instead, he merely looked about him uneasily. The ninja looked disappointed.

"Zelos, if you really don't want to do this, you can go back inside," she softly offered. He gazed at her a moment, but shook his head.

"Nah, I'm fine. It's just been a while, that's all. I'm not used to all this white powdery stuff." Zelos attempted to reassure her, and after a moment she nodded.

"Then come on." She crouched down, grabbing a huge handful of snow in one hand, and his wrist in the other. She placed the handful of snow in his hand. "This is raw snowball-making material. Also known as snow. You grab it like this, then you pack it into a snowball," —she grabbed his other wrist and put that hand on top of the snow, pushing them together to pack it into a semi-solid object— "like this."

She grinned, and after a distrustful glance at the snow, he managed a grin as well.

"Jeez, Sheena. The way you described it like that, you'd think I was some sort of retard or something."

"Nah, more like 'snowball-challenged'." She teased, and he snorted.

"Wow, that's _so_ _much_ less insulting. How would you like it if I called you 'socially challenged' just because you don't enjoy the presence of the high society?" He shot back, and it was her turn to snort.

"I'd say 'damn straight' and nail you with a snowball."

"Hmm, sounds kinky."

And before you could say 'snowball-challenged Chosen who claims he doesn't have herpes', a snowball the size of Derris-Kharlan exploded on the side of his face, leaving a freezing, painful, yet strangely invigorating tingle in its wake.

"Y'know what!?" He stepped toward her, getting 'all up in her face' as if he intended to pick a fight.

"What!?" She replied, stepping forward to meet the challenge.

"This." And without a second's hesitation, he'd shoved his snowball into her open mouth. Her eyes widened, and she spit it out, before smirking.

"And you somehow claim that was proper vengeance?" She questioned skeptically.

"Yeah," he grinned like a guilty toddler boy. "I licked it."

She cursed and spat in the snow, bringing her sleeve up to wipe the Zelos off of her tongue, before stopping, glancing at him suspiciously. He was still grinning guiltily.

"You didn't really lick it, did you?"

"Nope."

They both burst out laughing at this, and Sheena sat down in the snow. Zelos followed almost without hesitation.

"Bastard." The ninja snorted, and the redhead grinned.

"You love me anyways."

"I'll get back to you on that one." She replied with a smirk. They both leaned back to lay down in the snow, and they both gazed up at the blue sky in silence for a few moments.

"Hey Sheena?"

"Yeah?"

"Have you figured out your answer?" He quipped, and she was silent a moment.

"Yeah, I have."

His eyes widened; Sheena's voice was neither malicious, nor mocking. It seemed... caring. He'd only been joking, but… What if she hadn't?

"What is it?" He prompted, trying to keep his voice joking.

"This."

And before he could ask for an explanation to her one-word answer, the ninja was on top of him force-feeding him as much snow as she could grab. Zelos laughed, half at his stupid hopes that she may have been serious, and half at the 'battle' at hand. He thrashed his head back and forth, trying to escape from Sheena's icy wrath, but it just kept coming. All of a sudden, he was aware that she was sitting on his torso, one leg on either side for balance, a position he'd only dreamed of her willingly enduring. Now, however, she put herself in it all on her own, though he knew her intentions were nothing more intimate than force-feeding his precious Chosen mouth snow and laughing at his plight. Not that he minded. Especially when she realized his mouth was as full as she could get it, and she stopped her assault, merely sitting there and laughing. He was laughing as well, mind you; it's hard not to when such a situation as this arises, especially when it catches you off guard.

Slowly Zelos swallowed the frigid snow, piece by piece, until finally his mouth was clear. They gazed at each other a moment, until Sheena seemed to realize she was still sitting on him. Cramming one more handful of snow in his mouth as an excuse, she stood up, stretching her legs a second, and plopping down cross-legged beside him.

"Hey Zelos?"

"Hmm?" He replied, still finishing off his icy breakfast.

"Why don't you like the snow?"

A lump formed in his throat. He'd hoped she wouldn't ask. Up until she'd asked, he'd managed to push it to the back of his mind. Now, however, it came flooding back like water through a fractured dam.

Sheena saw the troubled look in his eye, and hastily shook her head.

"Nevermind, forget I asked."

"No, it's fine," he murmured, but at that very moment the face of Sheena beside him flickered to that of his mother. Smiling, yet her smile was strained.

"Zelos, why are you looking at me like that?" She asked, but her voice was different. It wasn't deep enough... It was as if her voice was combined with another, even more familiar.

_Sheena._

'_This isn't real, this can't be real, she's dead, I saw her die!_' He shut his eyes, pushed it away with all his strength. And when he opened them, Sheena was back.

He smiled, relieved beyond mortal words that she hadn't seen him go to pieces again.

"My mother…" He started, to answer her first question. "She was forced to marry my father. Arranged marriage, as have had all descendants of the Mana linage. Dear old Dad had a mistress. Hence Seles. She wanted her daughter to be Chosen. So she tried to kill me. My mother was caught in the crossfire."

Though his voice was carefully emotionless, maybe too much so, the pain in his eyes told Sheena more than a sorrowed voice ever could. She sat in stunned silence a moment, unable to think of anything she could say to help. After that moment, however, she scooted closer, wrapping her arms around him comfortingly. He tensed up in surprise, apparently expecting some sort of pain to come of it. But none did. She just sat there and held him in a comforting embrace. And, after a minute or so, he slowly slid his arm around her waist, hugging her back. After a moment, she looked up at him.

"Y'know what? You're not that bad, when you're not being a skirt-chasing womanizing idiotic pervert."

He grinned. "I suppose I should take that as a compliment?"

She nodded. "It's probably the closest you're gonna get to one anytime soon."

Zelos paused.

"Any more hugs, by any chance?"

"That's a possibility, if you don't try and grope me anytime soon."

"Can I look but not touch?" He questioned, jokingly hopeful.

"No."

"...Fair enough."

The rest of the day went by in a blur of fun, fluff, and snowball fights. But not once did Zelos see his mother die, nor would it plague him ever again. Instead, he'd get swept up in memories of Sheena, her snowball fights, her force-feeding, her hug, and when the memory reel played to the very end of the day, her kiss.

_(No, Zelos doesn't really have herpes. Wanted to see how many of you reached the end and the first thing you intended to put on your review was "ZELOS HAS HERPES!?" XD Read and review, PLEASE? I beg of you. :P)_


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7: Light

_(Hehehe. Special thanks to Noctepanther for inspiring me for this chapter. :D –sends e-love to all my reviewers- Assuming I'll have at least two, since I'm starting to write this ten minutes after I updated the last chappa-ter. lol)_

_You've probably come for another tale of battle and death, or one of romance and fluffy sentiments. Or perhaps just to watch Zelos get beat by a girl. Either way, that's not what you're going to get. Instead, you will learn of a day in their lives far more important than any of the great battles or any of the kisses or eventual, very eventual, bed scenes. This chapter of Zelos and Sheena's lives is a tale of revelation. The day when everything changed... For Sheena, at least. But I'm getting ahead of myself. Let's rewind a bit, back to about midmorning..._

_SMACK!_

The Chosen stumbled back, cursing audibly, a hand clutching his cheek. He tasted blood in his mouth, and his cheek hurt like hell. A furious ninja stood before him, and though she was nearly half a foot shorter than he, she seemed to tower over him. She was absolutely livid. Don't worry, she didn't smack our beloved Chosen.

She punched him.

Square in the face, in fact. She wasn't positive, but she was pretty sure she'd broken his nose.

"And don't you dare say you didn't deserve that, you conniving, two-faced, perverted, disgusting, pathetic excuse for a Chosen!" She snarled, ignoring the increasingly hurt look in his eyes.

"Sheena, I didn't-, I-, I swear I wasn't-"

"Save it for someone who cares. I'm done fucking listening to you." She cut off his attempts to formulate words, her own words twice as malicious as the previous ones. "I'm going back to Mizuho. Don't worry, you won't have me getting in the way anymore. Or ever again."

And with that she whirled around, storming off down the street. Rounded eyes followed her, eyes of shoppers and shopkeepers alike that had seen her strike their Chosen and vent her rage all over him.

"For damn good reason," she grumbled to herself, pointedly ignoring their gazes. And it had been a good reason indeed.

Zelos had _pretended_ he cared about her. Maybe he had, but sure as hell not enough to stop him from feeling up some other whore in the back-alleys. And he'd had the nerve to blow Sheena off to do it!

It's true! That bastard was supposed to spend the day in Altamira with her, he'd even planned it, but she waited at the gate for three hours and he didn't show. When she went looking for him, she'd found him in an alleyway with a noble, one of his more prominent hunnies. He was standing close to her and had his hand on her shoulder, no doubt preparing to travel a bit lower. He was whispering something, and she looked surprised, but Sheena couldn't see the look on his face because his hair was in the way.

'_Ugh. I can't believe I used to love that hair. I envisioned sitting there behind him, braiding it for him before he had to make one of his many public appearances. Playing with it idly on one of the many lazy afternoons. Now I loathe it almost as much as I loathe him.'_

It planted the one seed of doubt in her mind. If she'd been able to see his face, see that lecherous look in his eyes, then she'd be able to abhor him completely and thoroughly.

But she couldn't.

So there's still that little chance Sheena was mistaken. That it was a misunderstanding.

'_Who the hell am I kidding? He was making a move on her, and we both know it. I just wish to Martel it wasn't true…'_

And an idea came to her.

'_That's it! Martel! Sure, she may not exist in the goddessly state that many believe she exists in, but I've heard of many great men who gained their greatest insight in the church in prayer. Maybe I can go there. Maybe it can clear my mind. After all, I can't go to Mizuho like this. I'm a wreck.'_ And so she was. Her hair was a mess, tears of pain and anger stained her face, and her fist was bruised from the ferocity of her punch.

But one question came to her mind. Why did it hurt so much to see him with her? She'd known from the beginning that he would. He was a pervert, a playboy. The sort who thinks the world would end if he was stuck to one woman. Yet she'd let her guard down and trusted him anyways.

'_Ugh, did my Mizuho training teach me nothing!? Never let your guard down, that's rule number one.' _She leaned back against a nearby wall, banging her head against it repeatedly in a crude form of self-punishment.

He was a pathetic Chosen, one as unsuited for the job as she was for being a noblewoman. He ran away from responsibility, was a bad example for society, and groped at every woman he met. Maybe Tethe'alla would have been better if he HAD been killed by his dad's mistress as she'd intended.

The ninja forced down the pang of hurt that accompanied that thought, drilling it into her head so that if she did see him again, she could come at him fiercer than before. She couldn't go crawling back. Ninjas don't crawl.

Especially not Sheena.

Her feet started moving of their own accord, though under her general jurisdiction. They, and she, were headed toward the Church of Martel. Part of her wished Colette had been there, or better yet, Raine. They always knew how to help. Raine offered the logical solution, and Colette was just… there. Her presence made everything calm, happy... Before Sheena knew it, she was in front of the Church.

Pushing open the heavy wooden doors, she stepped softly into the massive dusty room.

And there he was.

The Chosen of Tethe'alla was kneeling before the Altar of Prayer, his wings out and his head bowed, that detested red hair cascading smoothly down his back. Yet somehow, it wasn't so detested anymore. The light from the stained glass windows cascaded down from both sides, bathing him in a seraphic spotlight of sorts and setting his hair and wings aglow, moreso in the case of his wings. He seemed so peaceful, so innocent.

So angelic.

This was a scene fit for a painting. It was just so… right. Like he was meant to be there, with his wings out and his head bowed, and the light just right. She knew how corny it sounded, but it was so _true._

And he was saying something, murmuring to the altar, unaware of her presence. Sheena strained to hear what he was saying, but couldn't. And, though it was against her morals, the ninja used her practiced stealth to carry her closer to the Chosen whom she'd less than an hour ago wanted nothing more than to pound his face in.

"…and help her know it wasn't what it seemed. Tell her I was just talking to Vanessa, telling her to back off and not to mess with Sheena, and let her forgive me for being a little too close. I could say it's how I am, but even _I _refuse to run from responsibility any longer. I just wish I had one more chance…"

Maybe he wasn't such a worthless Chosen after all.

Sheena stepped forward, forsaking her silence. Surprised, Zelos whirled around, his hand on his sword. His cerulean eyes widened at the sight of the ninja.

"Wish granted."

Those two words marked a change in both of their lives, though Sheena's changed far more drastically. From that day on, he never looked at another woman like that again. Well, okay, that may be a bit stretching the truth. But he never meant anything by it. And Sheena realized that the Chosen wasn't all that bad, and accepted him for who he was.

An angel on the earth, trying to find his place in the world.

And Sheena wouldn't have it any other way.

_(This one's okay I guess. Dunno, didn't like it all that much. Heh. The next one's gonna be better I hope.)_


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8: Darkness

_(Okay, hopefully I can make this one make up for the last one. :D Two more chapters after this. Yay.)_

There are things that cannot be undone, no matter how hard one tries. Of all the things in Sheena Fujibayashi's life, of all the mistakes, one stood out in her mind, far beyond the rest. Though which one it was may surprise you…

-----

It was the night after the party had fallen through the Otherworldly Gate and been spat out by Palmacosta. The entire lot of them were exhausted, though some more so than others. They'd made camp just outside the coastal town and after a brief dinner, the majority of them had crawled into their sleeping bags. All but Zelos, who was on guard duty, and Sheena, who had excused herself even prior to supper for a 'brief stroll' and had yet to return.

It had been hours since she'd left. Sure, she'd taken her cards with her, but still... anything could happen to her. And the Chosen was worried. No, not Colette, for the tiny angel was tucked up snugly in her sleeping back and snoring softly. The Tethe'allan Chosen. The one who pretended not to care about anything, until the dark of the night hid his tears. That's why he always took night watch. It gave him time to clear his mind, to get out of his system what he couldn't show during the day. Sure, he was tired as hell in the morning, but he hid it well, a perverted comment here, a snide remark at Genis there.

The dark of the night only intensified his fears.

"If she's not back in five minutes, I'm going after her," he vowed softly yet fervently, and sat down determinedly on a nearby log. Five minutes came and went. So did ten. At last, he could wait no longer. Sending a shifty glance back at those he was supposed to be protecting, the redhead slipped off into the forest.

-----

Not so far away, a raven-haired ninja sat curled up in the crook of a tree, her violet gloves' arms wet where she constantly wiped away her tears. Yet still they blurred her vision, made the world swim around her, blinded her. So she closed her eyes, shutting it all out, even if only for a few moments. Her knees were drawn up to her chest, and her arms were folded across them, providing a nice place for her head to rest.

"That _idiot_... He just had to butt in, had to pull me into the light and keep me from doing what's right. I hate him for it. I hate him for saving my life. Did it ever occur to him that I didn't _want_ to be saved!?" Sheena softly choked out through her tears, aggravated and confused beyond mortal belief.

Suddenly, a sound came from the nearby woods, and her ninja reflexes made her tense up. It could either be a human or a beast. If it was a beast, part of her wanted to just jump out and let it devour her, likewise if it was a human with malicious intent.

"Sheena!? Where are you?"

She cringed, shrinking back even farther. The one person she wanted least to see. Zelos Wilder.

But apparently her movement, however small, had attracted his inhumanely keen eyes, and he turned to her in surprise. Suddenly aware of the tears on her cheeks, she turned her head left, burying her right cheek in her sleeves and obscuring her face from view. She heard him walk toward her, though it was no real surprise.

"Go away…"

Her words only seemed to draw him closer, however. She felt him crouch before her.

"Sheena, w-"

"Get away from me, you bastard, or I'll slap you," she warned weakly, and when he didn't put distance between them, she raised her head to see and her hand to strike. Though her movement was swift, he reached out and caught her by the wrist, and only when she felt the steady pressure of his hand against hers did she realize how violently hers was shaking. He reached out and grabbed her other hand as well, bringing them together between his. She tried to pull away, but he wouldn't let her.

"Don't touch me, let me go, or I'll make you regret it. I'll-, I'll hurt you, Zelos." She threatened, wanting nothing more than to get him to leave.

"You can't hurt me nearly bad enough to make me leave my hunny alone when she's down like this."

"I'll kill you…" She whispered, and he shook his head.

"No you won't."

And this silenced the ninja, for she knew as well as he did that she wouldn't make good of her threat. But Zelos didn't seem to mind the silence. He just crouched there, in an undoubtedly uncomfortable position, waiting for Martel only knows what.

"Why did you have to pull me away? I've accepted my fate, and the more you save me, the more I'm tempted to deny it, to fight for my life…" Sheena's voice broke the silence, almost inaudible, but still even she could hear the hurt, confusion, and accusation it held. Apparently, Zelos had known it was coming. He squeezed her hands slightly, causing her to look up.

"Your fate is in nobody's hands but your own, and you can change it however the hell you want. I pulled you away because I wasn't about to let my hunny die. You're... you're the closest to a friend I have in this little pow-wow, so I wasn't too inclined to leave you there to sacrifice yourself."

She snorted, turning away.

"Yeah, sure, more like you don't want to lose your groping target," she snarled, and he drew back, his grip on her hands loosening and his eyes widening in surprise. And pain. Sheena could sense it, not because of her ninja senses, but because she was a girl, as well as quite in tune with the weaknesses of all those around her.

"Sheena, it's not like that! I-"

"Bullshit!" She snapped, silencing him. "Everybody knows that's the only reason you follow me around, so don't bother lying. It's the truth, and you know it. If I didn't have a 'well endowed chest', as you so kindly put it, you wouldn't give a shit about me or whether I live or die."

He dropped her hands altogether now, backing off slightly. She knew she should stop, but she couldn't. All the confusion and frustration bottled up inside her made a fire that needed to be let out. And who better to let it out on than the cause of her frustrations?

"Even if my life is completely insignificant, at least it means more than _yours_. You were born to die, and nobody bothered to care about you. If you weren't famous, do you think you'd have 'hunnies' following you? If you weren't the Chosen, would the King even give you the time of day?" She ranted, and throughout her angry outburst the redhead's eyes had grown wide. By the time she paused, he was shaking his head, pushing away her words, denying their truth, as much to disprove them to herself as to her. And still she continued. "As soon as they realize it's Colette, not you, who's going to save the two worlds, they will care less about you than they will about me. They'll probably kill you, it'd make the world a better place anyways. Nobody would miss you. Nobody cares about _Zelos Wilder_."

By this time, Zelos had dragged himself a couple of yards away, plugging his ears the best he could and shaking his head. The ninja's seething words had struck on every fear in his mind, and thrown them in his face in a manner that left him shaking with the sheer force of it. He had his eyes closed tightly, apparently struggling to push away the thoughts.

Sheena expected to feel a sense of pride, turning the redhead from a proud swordsman to a trembling, whimpering pile of Zelos, but she didn't. Desperately, she tried to keep going, to gain that proud feeling rather than the lump that was forming in her stomach.

"Nobody cares about you. Not even your mom did; you told me yourself that she said you should never have been born. Even your own _sister_ hates you," she spat, and he shook his head violently. Sheena's eyes widened as a shimmer caught her eye, flying from his cheek with the force of his denial and falling to the dirt beside him. A tear.

The lump immediately overwhelmed all other emotions, and she knew what it was. Guilt. She got up, crawling closer slightly.

"Zelos…" Though her voice was softer and extremely remorseful, the Chosen's head flew up, his eyes locking on hers. They held similar qualities to a trapped animal, scared, hurt, and confused. Just as she had been minutes ago.

"Please, no, no more…" He begged almost incoherently, scooting another few inches away. She crawled closer, and he buried his face in his knees, bracing himself for whatever was to come. "Please, make it stop…"

Before she knew it, she'd wrapped her arms around the Chosen, holding him close and burying her face in his sleeve. And the tears began to flow once more. Immediately he tensed up, expecting more of her harsh words and yelling.

"Zelos, I'm so sorry..." She murmured shakily, but still he remained tense, silent. "I shouldn't have said it all, I shouldn't, I was just afraid... I was afraid of you and what you stood for. Y-you were the only one who cared enough to stop me from giving my life, and I was afraid that if I started to care about you, I… I wouldn't be able to give it all up when the time comes..."

Still tense.

Still silent.

Sheena sighed, nodding in understanding.

"Alright, I screwed up. I know I'll probably never be able to fix it, but... I just wish I could take it all back. Someone does care about you. _I_ do. But I'll leave you be. I've probably said enough tonight," she softly affirmed, rising to her feet and stepping away.

But for the first time since she'd known him, the redhead didn't follow.

They found her in the morning, in a pool of her own blood. The note read, "I loved him, but I lost him, and I never want to hurt him again..."

_(I guess this is kinda Alternate Universe, since Sheena doesn't die in the game. And I'm sorry for doing this to you guys, don't worry, the next one will be better and more pleasant. As for the 'darkness', I think that the angsty-ish mood qualified as a shadowed chapter, don't you agree? Its SAD... I had a good ending for this, but then I thought, hell, it's DARKNESS, so... yeah... )_


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9: Origin

_(This one's gonna be cute. Sheena and Zelos as kiddies. :D)_

It was a calm day in Meltokio, and the population was going about their daily business. There were no robberies or murders, and no parties were scheduled for the night. The most exciting thing that occurred that day in Tethe'alla's capital was that the gown store was having a sale. At least, until _they _came.

Those dirty ninjas dared leave their primitive village and walk the streets of Meltokio?! Half the nobles would slaughter them on sight, had the king not strictly forbidden acts of prejudiced violence toward the ninjas. They were content to just glare at them from afar, make them feel as unwelcome as humanely possible. Yet by law the shops had to sell to them, so if ever a ninja needed supplies on their journey, they came to Meltokio and weathered the hostility. This time, it was three men and a young girl, the latter looking fearful and on the verge of tears. Which even their enemies, the nobles of Meltokio, knew was strictly forbidden in ninja culture.

This young girl was Sheena Fujibayashi. She had just turned eight, which had marked the completion of her training to be a full-fledged Summoner. The mere _thought_ of dealing with Summon Spirits overwhelmed the girl, and already she and half her village was off to form a pact with the electrical Summon Spirit. Volt, they'd called him. Her grandpa had expressed to her how extremely important this pact was, and how critical it be made quickly and without fuss. When her comrades and she had stopped at Meltokio, herself and three grown ninja warriors had left the group and ventured in for supplies.

"Sheena'tera, wait here, and do not leave this spot," commanded the man in the lead, the father of her friend Orochi and his brother Kuchinawa. He addressed her formally with her title in the Mizuhoan tongue; in their village, 'tera' following a name signified that they were the second in line, the Chief's heir. Which she was, and even at her young age, she knew all to well that soon enough, the lives of her people would depend on her.

In response to his command, Sheena hastily pressed the side of her right hand to her forehead, resembling the 'praying' gesture but with only one hand, and bowed as neatly as a scared girl of eight years could manage. Satisfied, the three men scattered, heading to various shops.

Immediately after losing sight of them, Sheena sank cross-legged to the dusty cobblestone path, leaning against the stone guardrail that garnished the first set of stairs. She'd been standing for the good part of the day, and her legs were as sore as they'd ever been. With a barely concealed whimper and a slightly pouting lip, she massaged her calves tenderly. Eventually, their aches of protest began to fade to a dull throbbing.

For the first time since she'd arrived, for the first time in her _life_, the young ninja took in the world of Meltokio. It was beautiful, though in a different way than she was used to. As a girl in a hidden village, she'd grown to appreciate simplicity, the beauty in small things. This was a beauty all its own. Nearly everything her eyes drew in was covered in intricate designs, garnished with colors even _she_ had never seen before. One looked like a light blueish-purple, and though she had seen blue and she had seen purple, this was a wonder in itself. For a good ten minutes she sat there in wonder, taking in, well, _everything_.

But then her silence was interrupted by a noise. This noise was painful to her ears, and she cringed. It was metallic, and held a medium-tempo rhythm. And down the steps came five men covered in shining silver clothing.

Though she'd never seen it before, having for the most part avoided cities large enough so to have these men, she knew the sound, the silver, it was called _armor_, and these were _Royal Knights_. She'd heard about them, and though the villagers spoke of them with no open hostility, the tone of their voice had told the girl quite enough. She watched them nervously, and when they noticed her, they watched her back, until they got to the point where it would strain their necks to continue, at which time they turned to face ahead, shaking their heads in disgust and continuing toward the gate.

She sprang to her feet.

_Nobody_ looked at Sheena'tera Fujibayashi like that. Ever. She was the successor to Chief Igaguri of Mizuho, and the only Summoner alive.

But there were _five_ of them, and each one was twice her size, covered in armor, and had a sword her length. So she grudgingly contented herself with spitting on the ground at their backs.

That was her mistake that day. Though whether or not it was truly a mistake is still under debate.

Suddenly, the girl was shoved roughly from behind, sending her to her knees with a cry of surprise. She rolled on impact, springing up into fighting stance to greet her opponent. It was a boy, about her age, but towering another couple of inches above her. He had dull auburn hair and green eyes. After a moment, she grinned hopefully.

"Hi, I-, I'm Sheena!" The ninja offered eagerly. '_Of _course _he wants to be my friend. In the village, play-fighting happens all the time between friends!'_ He merely smirked. Sheena shuffled her feet slightly, unsure of how to continue, since he didn't seem to want to. Still grinning cordially, she offered, "Y'know, you kinda look like a carrot."

His smirk faded. Apparently, this came as a shock.

"You little _crap_, I'm gonna hurt you for that!" He growled, trying hard to be menacing, apparently proud of his usage of the word 'crap'. Sheena's eyes widened for a second, but when he threw a somewhat clumsy punch, she was ready. She grabbed his wrist and twisted, sending him to one knee.

All of a sudden, she was once again struck from behind, the back of her head taking the blow this time. Not expecting this sneak attack, her arms were still occupied with the boy's wrist, and she didn't have time to free herself and move them to catch her before her head hit hard on the cobblestone. She felt tears of pain come to her eyes, yet she bit her lip so as not to cry out, and blinked back the tears. Ninjas don't cry.

Despite her dizziness from the impact, she staggered to her feet, whirling around to face the one who'd came second. It was another boy, this one her own height, with blonde hair and blue eyes. Both were smirking contemptuously.

Sheena's gaze swept the crowd wildly. Wouldn't someone help her? This wasn't fair! Two against one, and she was a _girl_ to boot! But the citizens of Meltokio all turned a blind eye to the little ninja girl and her unfair fight. They were cruel, all of them, but for this crime they would never be punished.

Giving up this little hope, she desperately searched about her for an escape route. She could feel blood trickling down her face, and the boys both seemed somewhat impressed, as if they'd never made anyone bleed before. Spotting a side-alley, she made her escape plan, and, against her honorable ninja training, she sent her foot swiftly into the crotch of the larger boy. He wasn't expecting this low blow, and he doubled over in pain. Seizing the opportunity, the young shinobi vaulted over his back and scrambled to regain her balance, attempting a mad dash for freedom. She heard footsteps behind her, which only increased her desperate urge to escape, thus accelerating her speed as well.

Soon the footsteps grew faint, and not long after, they faded altogether. The blood was still flowing from her forehead wound, though it circumvented her eyes, much to her relief. Even when she could no longer hear them, the girl ran on, as much for fear of the ninjas whom she'd disobeyed by leaving that spot as fear of the boys. The ninjas would only know that she'd disobeyed, the worst of crimes for a child, especially a girl. She was afraid of what they'd do to her...

She knew then that she had to hide. They couldn't find her, no matter how hard they tried. Because even if they were not angry with her, which she knew they would be, she would still be forced to continue her pilgrimage to forge a pact with Volt. This very task was what she'd feared ever since her mana pattern tested positive, ever since she was declared a potential summoner. Either way, something was bound to go wrong. So she refused to let them find her.

Tears forming in her eyes at her disgraceful behavior, the little ninja threw herself into the next patch of shadows she could find. It was a side alley, where she stood for what seemed like forever, panting heavily. All of a sudden, the child was struck by realization, and she took it like a true blow, staggering backward with wide eyes. A young ninja girl, one who wasn't even _born_ into the tribe, but adopted, disobeying a full-grown shinobi, especially to the degree of fleeing from her assigned post...

Sheena collapsed back into a pile of damp cardboard boxes, tears flowing steadily now. She could be _exiled_ for this... Unable to stop her body from trembling, the girl curled her legs to her chest, buried her face in her knees, and shook with only semi-muffled sobs. She should have stayed, she should have fought. She could have won, maybe, and she wouldn't have left where she was supposed to be. But she fled, as was forbidden in all but the direst of circumstances.

And she cried, which was forbidden with no exceptions.

All of a sudden, footsteps were heard, at a running pace. She expected them to pass by without notice, and stilled her shaking as best she could, just to make sure. But all of a sudden, the footsteps stopped. Instead, there was a shuffling sound, then a strange silence. Sheena looked up, to see a figure crouching in the shadows closer to the front of the alley, about ten feet away from her. Her eyes widened, but before she could take any further action, she realized the figure was facing the other way. From what she could tell, which was not much at this angle, this girl had long red hair and a pink and white outfit, and seemed to be some age around hers, give or take a few years. But what was this girl _doing_ here?

The girl's pondering thoughts were interrupted moments later by another two sets of footsteps, and a bellowing voice.

"Chosen! Come back, quit playing foolish games! Zelos Wilder, come back this instant! Your mother will have my head if I lose you here!" The voice called, and Sheena watched the girl press herself against the wall. The two men passed right by the alleyway, however, without sparing more than an offhanded glance down it's length. After a couple of minutes, the girl rose to her feet.

"Whew, that was a close one!" She breathed in wonder. But wait, that sounded... off. Her voice, it was deep. Unnaturally deep. And when the 'girl' spun around, Sheena found out why. Her face was anything but girly, already holding a masculine shape, even at his age. Sheena determined it to be around twelve, but she was never too good at age guessing.

To her surprise, however, the _boy_ began to walk her way. Eyes growing wider, she crawled backwards in an attempt to hide herself further, her hands growing damp with the cool, moist feel of the unkempt cobblestone. Unfortunately, her movement attracted more attention than if she'd sat still, and he noticed her immediately.

"Hello?" He greeted curiously, his head cocked. Sheena whimpered slightly, crawling back even faster. He grinned, stepping toward her. "No, it's okay, don't be scared of _me_."

"G-get away from me!" She stammered, having backed into the corner. As friendly as this boy seemed, she didn't trust anybody.

"C'mon, don't be like that, I won't hurt you," he offered, apparently confused by her reaction. She sat silently, her untrusting gaze fixed on his face. She watched his every move, but she made no more objections to his being there. "There, that's better. I'm Zelos!" He grinned, offering a hand to help her up. She flinched as it extended toward her, but after gazing at it warily, she wiped the tears —and coincidentally, the blood— away from her eyes and accepted his help.

When she was standing, only her waist and down was obscured in the shadows, and he recoiled slightly at sight of her.

"What happened to _you_!?" He questioned incredulously, and reached out a hand to examine it closer. She swiped his hand away.

"Nuffin, I'm fine," she replied stubbornly, her words slurred by her just-concluded fit of tears.

"Fine, sure, you've just got blood all over your face is all," Zelos snorted, his sarcasm fairly unpracticed yet his point still clearly conveyed. "What happened?"

"I said I'm fine, they were just playing around..." She murmured defensively, and he paused.

"They?" The young redhead prompted, and she shrugged.

"Just a couple of boys, that's all."

"_Who_ though?"

"How should I know, I've only been here this once in my life!"

"Ah, that explains the crazy getup." He nodded in appreciative realization. Sheena looked down at her lavender ninja-in-training robe, wondering if that's what he meant by 'getup'.

"It's _traditional ninja attire_." She repeated the well-rehearsed line indignantly, crossing her arms. Zelos held up his hands innocently.

"Alright, alright, no need to get your feathers ruffled. So you're a ninja, hmm? From Mizuho, right? That explains why you got beat up, people here don't take too kindly to ninjas."

"I wasn't _beat up_!" She protested, but he shook his head.

"I don't know if they punched you, kicked you, or shoved you down, but if you got that head wound from someone else here in Meltokio, you got beat up." Before she could protest, he began again. "Hold on a sec, I think I can whip something up to help that."

Turning back down the alley, the strange pink-wearing boy called Zelos trotted over to a pile of stuff, digging through it a bit until he found a black bag. Opening it, he pulled out two clean, white sheets. Dragging one of them back over to Sheena, he took a corner, wrapped it over his hand, and began to dab at the blood. At first, he carefully avoided the wound, focusing on cleaning up the rest of her face. But he couldn't avoid it forever. It was quite a painful shock to Sheena when he roughly swiped his cloth across the wound. She yelped slightly, jumping back.

"Don't do that, that _hurts_!" The girl protested, but Zelos stepped toward her again.

"I'm sorry, I'll go easier this time," he promised, and with those words, she allowed him to finish softly cleaning her wound. After a couple of minutes, he stepped back, grinning. "There ya go!"

Her hand flew to her face, and it was no longer wet or sticky. When she drew her fingers away to look at them, they had no hint of red. She grinned as well. Satisfied, Zelos tossed the bloody sheet into some obscure corner of the alley and sat down cross-legged in a patch of sun and closing his eyes. Sheena sat beside him. As if just recalling her presence, his eyes flew open, and he turned to look at her.

"So what's your name? I mean, if we're gonna be friends, I gotta know your name."

She eyed him a moment, but was unable to hold back a grin. _Friends_. Sheena liked friends.

"Sheena. Sheena Fujibayashi."

"Sheena? I like it. It's pret-…It's nice." Though he amended himself, Sheena giggled slightly. He'd almost said _pretty_. Up until then, she'd been convinced that boys didn't even know what pretty _was_, let alone use the word to describe something. Sensing his embarrassment in the near future, he offered his hand to shake to distract her. "Zelos Wilder, at your service."

She shook his hand, suddenly making a connection she'd been struggling at since he'd offered his first name.

"Hey, you're the one those men were looking for! Why were you hiding?"

"Why were _you_ hiding?" He countered, but she shook her head in protest.

"No, you, I asked you first!"

Zelos shrugged offhandedly, apparently none too fond of the way the conversation was turning.

"So what if I am, I'm not gonna go back 'till I wanna go back," he mumbled stubbornly, and she nodded in understanding.

"Yeah... When I go back, I've gotta go make a pact with Volt. Y'know, the Summon Spirit? I just _know_ I'm gonna mess up..." She trailed off, looking somewhat dejected. Zelos, blaming himself for her downcast look, offered a grin.

"Nah, you'll do great! You're a _ninja_, for cryin' out loud, and if you're all skilled in the Summoning Arts and stuff too, you'll win hands-down. Not that I've ever seen Volt... I wish _I _could be a Summoner, it sounds way more interesting than _my_ life…" Though it started out encouraging, Zelos's attempt to cheer her up ended in a voice so filled with longing, it even amazed Sheena.

"No you _don't_ wish you could be a Summoner. I wish I could be normal like _you_, you don't have to worry about the entire village getting ruined just 'cause you mixed up a couple of words in your pact," she countered, and he snorted.

"Normal!? _Me!?_ Ha! Didn't you hear those stuffy old men? I'm the _Chosen_." He said that as if expecting it to impact her profoundly, and he seemed a medium degree of disappointed when it didn't.

"What's a _Chosen_?" She asked, her eyes rounded with curiosity. His own eyes widened to match hers at the question, and she looked away defensively. "Sorry, stupid question, forget it," she mumbled quickly, not too fond of being looked at like a fool.

"No, it's okay, I kinda forgot you weren't from around here. A Chosen is a person who is, well, _chosen_, by the angels and holy people, to regenerate the world."

This seemed to confuse her even more. "Regenerate the world? The world is fine, isn't it? Nothing's wrong with Tethe'alla, is it?" She seemed worried, so he quickly shook his head to reassure her.

"No, no, Tethe'alla is fine. It's just, like... If the world ever _does_ need regenerating, it's my job to do it."

"That seems kinda pointless. What do you do until then?"

It was Zelos's turn to get ruffled.

"It is _not_ pointless!" He objected. "I do all kinds of important stuff, like sign important document thingies and dance with lots of annoying women at royal balls."

This silenced her for a few minutes, as she considered all this. Then, the raven-haired ninja turned to look at him once more, cocking her head in curiosity.

"Zelos, what's so bad about being a Chosen? It seems kinda fun."

He shrugged again. "Eh, the butler's kinda cool. That's who that old codger was, the one calling for me. His name's Sebastian, or something like that. I just call him Sebby, he doesn't seem to mind that much. But the rest of it, how I'm never allowed to be alone, how I have to go to all these boring church functions and sit there like I actually care, how I'm too busy being the Chosen to have any _fun_."

"Well... You're having fun right _now_, aren't you?"

Zelos grinned. "Yep. Me and my new buddy Sheena are having lots of fun."

"So… so we're friends?"

"Of course we are, bumpkin," he affirmed, using the insult in more of a friendly teasing manner.

"Like, real friends?" She continued, completely serious.

"Yeah, sure, what's with all the questions all of a sudden?"

"Even if I'm not a ninja no more, will we still be friends?"

"I promise. Why wouldn't you be a ninja anymore?" He asked, cocking his head in a slightly confused fashion.

"'Cause I ran away," she started, blinking back the tears that were starting to form in her eyes. "I was s'posed to stay back there, but I had to run away so I wouldn't get hurt, but I disobeyed, and if anyone disobeys the one telling them what to do, they get-… oh, what's the word… _Exiled_, that's it. They get exiled."

His eyes widened, and he nodded.

"Of course I'll be your friend, even if you _are_ kicked out." He promised, and she nodded, smiling slightly.

Suddenly, there were voices from the entrance to their little hiding spot. Familiar voices. To Sheena, at least. While both children looked to the open street, only Sheena was tensed, though she was tense enough to make up for his relaxed state.

"That-, that's... that's my sensei." She murmured with dread, and his eyes widened.

"We have time to escape out the back, c'mon, this wa-"

"No."

Zelos was halfway to his feet when the ninja made her decision, but she knew she couldn't flee again.

"_No_?" He repeated incredulously.

"I have to go. Maybe, maybe they'll forgive me." Her voice was quiet, but Zelos could see the determination in her eyes. He nodded, though she could have sworn she'd seen regret in his eyes.

"If you gotta go, you gotta go. But if they kick you out, look me up. We've always got room for a friend."

Sheena nodded, rose to her feet, and, with one last look at her newest and closest friend, she made her way out into the sun.

Now, we all know how this story ends. We all know how she went to make her pact, but failed. We all know that she was responsible for the death of half of her people. We also know that, many many years later, Chosen and ninja reunited, but their reunion was far different than expected. Sheena had, foolish as it had been, expected the boy who cleaned her wound and offered her friendship and a backup plan. When she was faced with a self-centered, lecherous playboy instead, it nearly broke her heart. Little did she know, he had expected that same curious, scared little ninja she had once been, but he too had been faced with something far different, a collected young woman with the power of a lion and a two-inch-thick mask over her feelings.

Sheena wasn't the only one who's heart nearly broke that day.

She was just the only one who gave up on it.

"_So… so we're friends?" _

"_Of course we are, bumpkin," he affirmed, using the insult in more of a friendly teasing manner._

"_Like, real friends?" She continued, completely serious._

"_Yeah, sure, what's with all the questions all of a sudden?"_

"_Even if I'm not a ninja no more, will we still be friends?"_

"_I promise."_

_(Aww. Hehehe. I heart this chapter 'cause it's different. I made Sheena more timid and Zelos more... innocent, kinda.)_


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10: Heart

_(Tis the Verius chapter, and the last chapter as well. I'd like to thank my wonderfully faithful Arctic Husky, Twilight Trinity, and Kitsu Kurasei, who have reviewed most of the chapters of this, AND Retribution. Thanks for stickin' with me, guys. And thanks to my new reviewers. To name a few who reviewed the majority of the chapters, thankies to Sundiz Star, ImperialGuardian09, phantom4angel, Faye Zepher, I-Luff-Cheese, and Nahrali. Special thanks to silverfox09, who not only read both Retribution AND this, but gave pre-game fics a chance so they could read my Origin chapter, despite earlier dislike toward such fics. And thanks to those of you who read all my chapters, or even some, those of you who just didn't review. )_

It's quite an interesting sensation, gazing into one's own eyes. One would expect to be able to read them, to understand their secrets, since those secrets are, after all, one's own. But Zelos Wilder had never felt more a stranger than gazing into the eyes of his reflection as he sat before his mirror. As much as he seemed to love himself on the outside, on the inside, the redhead hated himself and all that he stood for. That distaste shone through in his eyes as he looked upon his reflection, and in turn, the man in the mirror gazed back at him with that same unbridled abhorrence. Because of this, he couldn't meet his own gaze for very long...

It brought to mind the saying, 'you are your own worst enemy'. He didn't know where he'd heard it, but it proved true in many cases. Mithos, for example, brought on his own demise, and his little angel Colette nearly did so as well, with all the sacrificing and whatnot. Even still, he'd never truly understood it until he felt alien looking into his own cerulean eyes.

Zelos knew how others saw him. Always smiling with his entire face, his eyes cordial at the very least, ecstatic at the best, and lecherous at the worst. He was the one who always took things _too_ lightly, to always joke around in the face of sadness or danger, to smile when everybody else looked crestfallen. They'd come to depend on this Zelos to keep them strong.

"What if they knew the _real_ me? Would they still turn to me for support? Would they still wait hopefully for my joking to make everything happy again? Sure they would…" Zelos tried to reassure himself, but a moment later, he laughed dryly. "Hah, don't kid yourself, Zelos. If you weren't the happy one, you'd be useless if not a nuisance. That's the only reason they want you around, for entertainment. Zelos the Jester, eh? It has a nice ring, I guess."

Suddenly, there was a knock on his door. It was quiet, almost hesitant. Zelos jumped nonetheless. _Sheena_. Had she heard all that? She couldn't. Even though she, of everybody, accepted him for who he was, and she'd seen him 'unmasked', she couldn't have heard what he was saying. He glanced back to the mirror, recalling why he was sitting there to begin with. He'd been about to French-braid his hair, as he did every night so his hair wouldn't be a tangled mess in the morning.

"Zelos?" A tentative voice from in the hall, bringing his mind back to the ninja.

"Goddess, I'm distracted today," he mumbled to himself, shaking his head to clear it, before raising his voice with a singsong, "_Come ii-iin!_"

Immediately the door opened, and in came the most beautiful woman he'd ever laid eyes on.

_Now if one would pause in their visualization a moment to note a few important points here. Firstly, though Zelos was the sort to claim any woman was the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen, this time, he truly believed it. And secondly, the Chosen had somehow managed to get the irresistible yet occasionally violent banshee-like Sheena Fujibayashi into his mansion without the use of force, so this definitely says something about his persona. Zelos had changed since the end of the journey, a good four years prior. Sure, he was still a pervert at times, and sure, he could still be obnoxious, but he'd changed. Returning now to the moment at hand…_

Shutting the door softly behind her, the ninja padded up behind Zelos and wrapped her arms around his shoulders, in a slow yet hurried fashion that Zelos recognized as a 'hurry up before you lose your nerve' move. She rested her head on his shoulder, gazing into the mirror as well. He opened his mouth to say something, but she cut him off.

"One word about this, and I'll kill you," she murmured, and despite the threat in the words, they were spoken somewhat affectionately.

In case one can't tell, much has occurred since Sheena had first arrived. She'd made him promise not to ask her anything she didn't want to answer, and he'd made her promise not to disappear in the night one night. Promises made, they'd basically hung around each other, often uncomfortably and even crossly at first, but less and less as time went on. True to his promise, he'd never asked her why she'd come, when she had to leave, or the most recurring question in his mind, if she truly cared about him or not. And true to her promise, she stayed, no matter what he did or said. So his perverted comments and tendencies became less and less amusing the closer the two got, when Zelos began to understand how she truly felt about them, and she became more and more laid-back. At this moment in time, it had been three days since he'd been slapped last. It was a record, and still counting.

"Such an offer would have been tempting before you showed up, my violent little ninja," he replied casually, and she averted her gaze slightly.

"Y'know, I _will_ have to leave _eventually_…" She reminded him, and he sighed.

"Yeah, I know."

"But when I do, you won't let it tempt you anymore?"

He shook his head.

"Hell, you're just going back to Mizuho. It's not _that_ easy to get rid of me."

"You make it sound like I'm trying to," she shot indignantly, and the redhead laughed.

"Y'know, I remember a day not so long ago when you'd have given your balls to get me out of your life forever…" He gazed off at his wall, reminiscing. Only a moment later, when he saw the indignant look on the face of the ninja, did he realize his mistake. "Ah, um… your boobs? No, I wouldn't let you give those up-"

"Don'tmakemesmackyou," she interrupted shortly, and his eyes widened. He held up his hands in innocence.

"I'm just saying. I remember when you hated me like all the world's problems were _my _fault."

Sheena paused, looking downcast slightly.

"So do I, Zelos. So do I…"

What happened? She was so _happy_ a minute ago. Zelos fought desperately for his happy face, before plastering a grin on his lips and leaning his head against hers.

"But you don't no more, do ya, Sheena?" He grinned. "Hate me, I mean. I mean, who could hate _me?_ I'm _adorable_." He put on a pouty face, and she laughed.

"Sure, I'll give you that one."

"Ooh, and I'm funny."

"Whatever you say, Zelos."

"And I'm dead sexy!"

"That one's pushing it."

"Yeah, I figured as much. But the point is, you don't hate me anymore, do you? I mean, what kind of horrible horrible person could hate the poor, innocent, loyal-"

"You sound like you're describing a puppy," Sheena interrupted with amusement, but he continued without acknowledging her words.

"-cute, adorable, lovable-"

"Okay, I get the point-"

"-sweet, huggable, pettable-"

"_Zelos._"

He stopped to look at her, gazing at the ninja expectantly a moment before grinning.

"Didn't think I could find so many ways to describe the wonderful me, didja?"

Sheena laughed. "No, but you could have stopped at 'poor'."

Zelos made an offended scoffing noise, but no reply. They sat in silence a while, then Sheena withdrew her arms, standing up.

"So is there a _reason_ you're just sitting here?" She prompted, and he looked kinda embarrassed.

"Yeah, actually, I was just getting ready to braid my hair. I always do before I go to bed. I mean, what kind of respectable man would I be to be so cruel as to go to bed and let my beautiful red locks tangle in the night? And… I dunno, I had time now, so I figured I'd do it early..." He explained, expecting her to laugh at him, but she didn't. In fact, after a moment, she grabbed his sleeve.

"Come on back to my room, I'll do it. It's cold in here anyways," the ninja offered, and tugged at his arm slightly. Unwilling to question his good fortune, Zelos followed her down the hall to the room at the end, the one she'd slept in since she first arrived. The moment she opened the door, he was greeted with a comforting warmth, and the Chosen realized how chilly the rest of the house truly was.

The ninja crawled onto her bed, sitting cross-legged facing the end. The redhead sat in front of her, his head tilted back slightly so she could reach the foremost bits of hair, and almost immediately he felt the gentle tugging of fingers combing carefully through his hair. After a minute or so of this, the tugging became a bit less gentle, and a bit more purposed. And the braiding began.

Though it only took about ten minutes to finish, Zelos relished every second of her touch. It's not that he was unused to it; on the contrary, she had been more and more forward as her stay had progressed, though never so forward as to kiss him. The fact of the matter was, she was still a ninja, and ninjas belong in Mizuho. No matter how hard a Mizuhoan tries, they cannot stay away for too long. It is their home, and to a ninja, home is the one thing in their life that is certain. So Zelos knew she would leave him eventually, back to her own life. She would leave him alone and confused, without a backwards glance. That's what he worried about.

"Zelos? What's wrong?"

Her voice interrupted his thoughts, and it was then that he realized she'd finished with his braid, and was sitting and watching him with concern. He grinned, shaking his head.

"Nothing, my voluptuous hunny," came the Chosen's well-rehearsed response. Though she seemed unconvinced, she didn't press the matter. Zelos leaned casually backward, resting gently against the woman behind him, who slipped her arms around him in response.

"How many times do I have to tell you not to call me that?" She offered her usual reply, and without hesitation, he completed the customary disagreement.

"At least a hundred times more, my voluptuous hunny."

The duo sat in silence for a while, just gazing idly at the fireplace in the corner, where a lively fire flickered.

"Zelos?" Sheena broke the silence after a few minutes, and he looked up into her hazel eyes.

"Yeah, Sheena?"

"I have to tell you something…"

Zelos cocked his head curiously. "Sure, anything."

"The reason I came to you to begin with is because I am in exile." Her voice was nearly silent, but he heard it clearly.

The Chosen's cerulean eyes widened in shock. "What'd you _do_?!"

"I named Orochi the successor instead of myself. He is more suited for the job, and besides... A good friend of mine once told me to follow my heart."

All of a sudden, in a small place in the back of his mind, he was in an open field once more, sitting a few feet away from Lloyd, Colette, and the rest of the party. Sheena was to his right, and he and the ninja were in conversation. She was telling him about her worries, how she wasn't sure what to do, how she was guilty and she knew it but it felt so wrong just to sacrifice herself. He told her, 'follow your heart, it won't guide you wrong.' So she did.

Zelos shook his head in disbelief.

"So you gave it all up? For what? What could be in your heart that's more important than Mizuho?"

"You are, Zelos." She looked into his eyes, her gaze unwavering. "I cared about you, and because I gave up my responsibility, I am in exile. So I came to you, hoping you would give me somewhere to belong."

"Sheena..." He was at loss for words. "I don't even know what to say..."

"You don't have to say anything at all. Actions speak better than words anyways."

"In that case..." The Chosen started, punctuating his words by lifting a hand to cup her face and kissing her gently on the lips. Drawing back, he smirked slightly. The ninja brought a hand up to her lips, as if wondering if that was real, and her eyes were widened. After a moment, a smile started to form. And not one of those controlled Mizuhoan smiles either. A true, honest to goddess smile.

Then she that smile faded to a mischievous smirk. "Care to try that again?"

And their lips met again, the redhead coming on stronger than before, but Sheena soon roused up enough passion from behind her emotion-shielding mask to meet him.

The rest of the night went on in a similar manner, with teasing, flirting, and kissing being the main entertainment. At last, sometime around midnight, Sheena let out a poorly-concealed yawn. Zelos promptly lifted her up and, twirling around once, he set the protesting ninja down on her bed.

"I'll let you get some sleep now, my voluptuous hunny. It won't do either of us any good if I pester you all night. Goodnight, Sheena."

Stealing a playful goodnight kiss, he turned to the door.

"Zelos?"

The Chosen stopped in his tracks. "Yeah?"

"If you want to, you could… I dunno... Stay here tonight? It's kind of lonely, all by myself..." She fidgeted embarrassedly with the corner of her bed sheets. His face lit up.

"Of course I will, all you had to do was ask!"

When Sheena changed into her nightclothes, Zelos didn't peek even once, and when she climbed into her comfortable bed, she felt the warmth of the Chosen crawling in behind her. He draped an arm around her waist, drawing her close.

"I love you, Sheena," he murmured sleepily, and the ninja smiled, nestling closer.

"I love you too, Zelos."

But he was already asleep. For the first night in her life, Sheena Fujibayashi fell asleep with another's warmth beside her. And she knew, in her last conscious thoughts, that she would never be lonely again.

_(Gad, I have the feeling that I failed at this miserably. I was looking for fluff and got... crap. If you guys want, I can rewrite this. Vote in your review. Rewrite or no? If not, I have my Kraine fic up, and I'm gonna finish that before I take on any more Sheelos. Thankies to all of you again.)_

_May your Sheelos passion burn for years to come, _

_Marissa_


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